Fine Shrine
by darlingnkki
Summary: The war with Peregrande is finally over and there were grave losses. Lucy is left alone after losing her love, her mate. And now she is destined to die unless her friends and family can come together to break the rules of ancient Dragon magic and hopefully save her life. Desna's Pradeshes. Gore, graphic descriptions of violence and death, language. Rated MA folks. No joke.
1. From On High

Intro stuff, not going to do all this every time, but here is all the stuff out at once.

Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail.

Desna owns the Pradesh Universe. I am grateful to them both.

Cover photo from Unsplash. I made a few edits to the original though to suit my needs.

Title is after FineShrine by Purity Ring. It was during the song that this took shape.

This is my first fic in over a decade and my first in the Fairy Tail realm. Please bear with me as I get my bearings again.

As such, reviews are appreciated. Be warned, I won't stand for trolling. If you don't want to be here, don't be here, no hard feelings. Constructive criticism is always welcome. Just be honest and be nice.

This is rated MA for all the reasons in the description and some I'll probably add along the way. It's rated MA for a reason folks. I'm not playing around on that one.

* * *

The sound rang through the Celestial Realm. A primal wail of agony reverberated off every surface, touched every ear. The Celestial Spirit King knew the voice and pulled her into his view immediately using the marble basin that rested on a wrought iron pedestal, his connection to the other realms. Through the basin, he saw what caused the sound as she once again threw her head back and roared out a gut-wrenching sound of pure pain.

Blood streaked her golden hair. Her beautiful face was contorted into a grimace as tears fell from her eyes, streaking her dirty face. The man in her arms was gone, his spirit taking his place in the heavens to wait for her to join him.

Leo burst through the double doors, his face blanched and drawn. He knew it was their Princess. "What happened?" he demanded, his voice full of fear and concern. He hadn't been watching. He hadn't been called. In fact, she had just told him to return. He had, of course, followed his mistresses' orders.

The Spirit King, despite his best efforts, felt a single tear run from his eye into his mustache as he looked up from the basin. "My old friend," he spoke softly to the lion spirit, his voice wavering with emotion. Leo's eyes widened as he looked into the face of his King. Another scream of anguish filled the realm and the Zodiac gathered in the chamber of the King.

Aries, shuddering, hit her knees as she arrived, knowing suddenly where the sound had come from. Taurus knelt to hold her to his chest and murmuring apologies, she began to softly weep, the Gemini twins holding her from her other side. Loke, reaching out for Virgo and pulling her to him, watched as his spirits began to mourn the loss of the man on their Princess's behalf. Virgo buried her face in his suit jacket, fisting the increasingly wet fabric in her hands, and tucking her head under his chin. His arms enclosed around her, tears silently sliding down his face, dripping from his jaw, the grimace on his face reflecting all of their pain.

Tears stood in Aquarius' eyes as she looked around the room in shock and horror. Brat, she thought, her heartbreaking for the woman in the basin. Her eyes shut gently as the tears finally fell, Scorpio resting his forehead on her bare shoulder, holding back tears of his own.

The Celestial Spirit King watched as the Zodiac tried to comfort one another. They all knew what this meant. They all knew what was going to happen next. And they all dreaded the day that would come much, much sooner rather than later. His eyes returned to the basin, where he witnessed loss at its most fundamental level.

In the water, the blonde's eyes began to glow gold, tears still streaming from them. Her body became enveloped in gold and silver threads of magic beginning to crackle around her and expand. The shimmering threads swirled on the magical wind created by pure grief, picking up speed and force with each sob that wracked her body. The man lay motionless against her chest as an explosion of gold and silver light radiated from her, the magic pressure having hit a breaking point. It was like another bomb had gone off, debris scattering, magic pressure billowing into whatever stood in its way.

The explosion shorted the connection the King had established with Earthland and the Zodiacs left his presence, using their magic to go to their Princess, gates opening and watching them all step through them. Alone again in the room, doors still hanging wide open, the king rested his palms on either side of the basin, hanging his head and feeling another tear fall off his cheek, creating ripples in the basin where it landed.

He knew the moment he had heard her that things were never going to be the same, the thought echoing through his mind like a beating drum.

* * *

Lavender eyes snapped to the direction of the explosion. As it shook the ground as he felt his always present channel with his brother's mind sever. Panic rose in his chest and he reached out with his magic, trying to re-establish the link. Something was deftly wrong. _"Van,"_ he reached out to his brother through their mental link. _"Already here,"_ his brother answered. Kaleb pushed through his brother's mind and looked through his eyes, making the younger man shiver.

Smoke surrounded the area and dust clung in the air, illuminated by the multiple fires that were left from the explosion. The air was thick with the debris and sounds of panic. But one person stood out amongst the chaos.

A small man with black hair and winter pale skin stood holding his sides, cackling at the destruction around him. His slight frame shook with laughter. He held out his hand, tendrils of orange, yellow, red-streaked with purple swirled in his palm, forming the smallest of spheres and gaining speed. Vander saw the magic forming in his palm and knew he couldn't let it finish.

Pulling the shadows around behind the mage, Vander stepped out of them behind the man. His face contorted into disgust as he saw the man cackling harder, spotting people who had survived the initial blast. Kaleb, still looking through his younger brother's eyes, watched as his baby brother's hands reached out, gripping the man's chin and the side of his head. In a fluid movement, the man's neck snapped, one crack ending the mage's laughter. He pulled back on the connection, removing his gaze out of his brother's mind. _"That will never get easier to watch."_ he deadpanned into his brother's mind.

Upon hearing his brother's humorless, dark chuckle, Kaleb turned his attention to the rest of the capital, checking in with the teams that he had spread around the city. Over 200 mages were storming the city, wreaking havoc and destroying everything they could, and Kaleb had the somber duty of directing them all to their next piece of destruction. The plan was to level Romell, kill the king, and set the slaves free. They had been working at this for two and a half years. There was no room for error. They had to succeed or they would die in this shithole of a country with nothing to show for it. And six weeks ago, the fight had become all too personal, leaving even less room for error.

Vander sneered down at the dead man, preparing to step into the shadows when he heard the first agonizing wail from the north. His head snapped in that direction, eyes skimming the pavement as the smoke began to clear. Merlot colored eyes landed on a pair of legs and within seconds was at their side, stepping once again from the shadows. His cool exterior was gone in a moment as his eyes slid from feet to hips, recognizing the clan tattoo there.

His heart wrenched in his chest as he saw that there was no more of the body to be found. Stepping back into the shadows, Vander was at his sister-in-law's side as a massive wave of magic pressure hit him in the chest, the golden light flinging him halfway down the block once again. He shook his head, blinking hard, his ears ringing and popping from the amount of pressure he had been hit with. He coughed lightly as he found himself able to breathe again. "Lucy!" he tried to shout as he slipped back into the shadows, arriving at her side as the Zodiac spirits arrived around them.

Eyes wide and dumbfounded, Vander watched as Leo, their leader, pulled the Celestial mage into his arms gripping her firmly to his body, hand cradling her head. With a shaky breath, Vander looked to the ground beside Lucy, finding the other half of his brother's remains. The blonde choked out another faint sob as she swayed slightly side to side, her eyes rolling into the back of her head and collapsed onto his brother's chest.

As he took in the horror for a split second, Vander hit his knees, bile rising in his throat. He vomited as Kaleb sensed his distress. It took a hell of a lot to knock the man off-kilter. _"Van, what is it?"_ he demanded through the link, concern laced in his voice, panic scratching at the inside of his chest, building as seconds ticked by waiting for a response from his youngest brother.

_"Cristoff."_


	2. Preparing For War

Still don't own Mashima's Fairy Tail or Desna's Pradeshes. Or anything else for that matter. I rent.

Reviews are always welcome and make me feel pretty. Enjoy.

10 hours before the bomb

Kaleb leaned on the railing of the Boscan gunship and sighed. His mind was racing. The culmination of two years of dancing around war, being at war, and the acts of terror from Peregrande had built to this moment. They were deploying on Romell. Lost in his thoughts, silver hair blowing gently over his shoulders from the 'breeze' provided by air circulation behind a protective glass dome, he didn't notice the massive blond at his side until Laxus was standing right beside him, lowering himself onto his forearms.

"Everything we've been working for, it's all gonna come down to this," the lightning mage said gruffly. Kaleb's lavender eyes fell onto the monster of a man. His face stoic, he replied, "And they have given us every reason to end it all." Laxus reached over and put a hand on the man's shoulder, turning his head to a laugh like a tinkling bell that rolled from the stairwell that led below decks. His dragon purred recognizing the contagious laugh of his kin, his light, everyone's light. He watched as a blonde head bobbed into view, the golden-haired mage pulling a large raven man haired man up behind her.

"C'mon, Cristoff!" she whined playfully. The Lunar dragon slayer held on to her hand, taking the stairs two at a time to keep up. His long legs made the task simple, his eyes trained lovingly on the blonde in front of him. They had been mated for two and a half years. Their hands had brushed one another in Fairy Tail the first Christmas after the Alverez war and the rest was history. They spent five weeks holed up in Lucy's apartment finishing the process and had returned to the guild a mated pair. Two and a half years later, they still played, loved one another fiercely, and true to dragon form, couldn't keep their hands off each other.

Laxus took in the sight. They leaned on the rail together, he noticed how at ease they were despite the trip to hell they were taking. When they had each other, it seemed like nothing could touch them. His eyes slid over the pair, taking in their stark differences. Blonde, doe brown eyes, infectious smile and a body to die for with soft curves that always seemed to be on display no matter what the woman wore, made Lucy any man's dream. And if Cana was to be believed, Cristoff with this broad, muscular build he had heard the drunk compare more than once to his own, was not only a 'Mister Tie-Me-Up-Tie-Me-Down' (the drunk had such a way with words) but he was also the marrying type.

With raven hair that dropped just below his shoulders, as traditional Boscan clansman wore their hair, and midnight blue eyes that had flecks of silver in them to the firm build, clan tattoos and disposition of a teddy bear, Cristoff was all in all one man that most could not compete with. He was just a damn good guy.

And the pair together? Laxus couldn't help but find himself a little jealous. _"You're a slayer too,"_ a silken baritone slid into his mind, acknowledging his thoughts. _"You'll find your mate. They are out there. And they are only yours."_ With a small smile, Kaleb placed a hand on the blond's shoulder, much how he had moments before, and nodded to him. _"Fucking Mindbender,"_ Laxus growled internally, knowing Kaleb could hear him. Shit, he'd heard everything else. "At least you can't hear the two of them. They're disgusting." he snickered aloud. "Patience, brother," he said with a smirk, watching Laxus pull a face, and knowing that while Laxus Dreyar was a lot of things, patient was not high on the list, if there at all. "Get some rest. We're going to need it." Patting his fingers on the big man's shoulder, Kaleb walked away, sparing his brother and his bride a smile and headed below decks for a soak, some time with an attendant, and some sleep. They were going to need it.

The ship was one in a fleet carrying 200 mages across Bosco and into the borders of their enemy. Lucy leaned into the hard chest of the man behind her, her eyes looking out over the rest of the airships and turning her eyes to the heavens above. The stars would be out soon, the moon had risen already. The couple was in their element and enjoying the views immensely. The fact that they were a mile off the ground and that much closer to the heavens? Well, there was a reason Lucy adored traveling by airship. With a soft hum of contentment, Lucy turned her head and looked into her mate's face.

Times like these, she could still barely believe that he was hers. All hers. She smiled softly as he looked down into her face. "You said you wanted to take in the view," he said, furrowing his brow lightly. "I am," she purred back as he pressed his lips softly against hers and nuzzled into her neck, just above her mating mark. With another contented hum, Lucy turned her eyes back over the late afternoon sigh and tried to cling to the moment.

In a matter of hours, they would be in hell.

Ambassador Arman Pradesh lay in his bunk above his lightly snoring son wide awake. _"He's alive,"_ he thought. Bickslow was below him, Farron and Kaleb were taking up in the rack across the narrow aisle and Vander… Well, Vander was wherever he landed for the night. And there had been no shortage of places for him to lay his head. The bunk that was meant to be his had been empty the entire trip, the one below it occupied by his brother and his wife. But Cristoff and Lucy weren't complaining. They were alone on the opposite end of the narrow room. And had the only bunk with drawn curtains. Emzadi and Xally had the last racks in the room. His whole family (well, except for Vander) had been sleeping in one room, just like when they were children. Not that they hadn't had their own spaces. They just seemed to prefer sleeping in one bed in a pile of limbs and little snores. And while he could have had one of the officer's rooms, Arman had chosen to stay with his children. Flying into battle, there was nowhere that he would have rather been than right where he was.

The soft creak of the metal door pulled him from his tumultuous thoughts or rather thought. Leaning up on his elbows to look at who had entered, he saw his oldest sons, Kaleb and Farron coming back into the room seemingly relaxed. "Had a good bath I take it?" he asked with a small smirk, laying back down again, tucking his hands behind his head. For a man with seven grown children, Arman was in great shape, if he did say so himself. He looked over his bicep and watched the pair ready themselves for bed. "The attendants here are just as skilled as the ones at the guildhall," Farron commented, pulling the fitted gray shirt from over his head. Kaleb hummed in agreement as he too removed his shirt, sliding down into the bottom bunk. _"Don't worry, Dad,"_ he heard his son's voice say in his mind. _"We'll get him back and make every last one of those bastards pay for what they've done."_ Arman sighed. _"Count on it."_

"Skyreach teams A, B, C, and D. Are you clear on what you're doing?" Kaleb ran his lavender eyes over the small teams. Lucy, Cristoff, and Freed made up Team A. Their goal was simple. Get into the colosseum and get their target out. Any other slaves they could free and send out before team D started their part would make teams B and C's jobs that much easier. But the Dark Eagle was their singular goal.

Team B consisted of Laxus, Xally, and Bix. Their goal was simple. Follow Team A in and free everyone they could. The body count of the guards and Peregrandians was at their discretion, but they needed to get the pits and slave quarters clear. Team C, consisting of Evergreen, Wendy, Gray, and Natsu had the same mission. They would be splitting up at the door.

The last, and probably most fearsome team would hold the door until the other teams arrived safely outside. Team D was on protection from the outside and once their people and the slaves of Skyreach were clear, leave nothing but rubble where the colosseum stood. Emzadi, the powerhouse Solar dragon slayer, Erick, the poison dragon slayer, Natsu, Erza and Laxus once they were clear of their initial goals. Kaleb did not doubt that along with the front line team he had formed, Emi and Erick would be able to keep everyone they didn't want in the building out.

Each team had been assigned five White Sea mages for support, except for Team A.

Everyone nodded and grunted approval to the silver-haired man. He looked fierce in his White Sea armor and demanded perfect execution from the teams in his charge. They had a solid plan. There was no reason that they wouldn't be able to return to the rendezvous point without incident. "Keep to the plan. Get home safely," he nodded back to them as he turned his gaze to his youngest brother.

"Palace team. I assume you know what you're doing," he said, his face stern, looking for acknowledgment. Vander leaned on the door frame of the room and smirked. "Like you have to ask?" The younger man cocked an eyebrow beneath his black and red-streaked hair, exchanging a wicked, knowing smile with his partner with a slight tilt of his head. "Presca." Kaleb looked to the man smirking back at his brother. "Keep him in line. Get it done."

"Don't I always?" Presca replied lazily, rolling his eyes slightly and placing his hand on Vander's shoulder, who in turn, took Presca's. _"Come home safe, brother,"_ Kaleb thought before they had vanished. _"You're not getting rid of me that easy,"_ he cackled. They were gone in a second as Vander slipped them into the shadows.

_"__We arrive in Romell airspace in two hours. Get rested, relaxed and ready to go,"_ he commanded through the mental channel that linked him and all of the 200 mages he had brought to complete this mission. "Father. Farron. Let's get setup here," he said aloud to his father and older brother, who both swept out of the room as he turned on his heel.

Cristoff watched his brothers and father leave and looked around to the mages left in the room. Everyone seemed ready. But none were more ready than the Pradeshes. It made his blood boil to think that they had one of their own. That they had abused him and mistreated him like Peregrande trash were prone to do. He had been made to fight for his life. Now he was going to come home. His big brother. Their family would be complete. And the empty place setting at holidays would finally have someone to fill the seat behind them.

It had been a long six weeks, planning this strike. The plan was threefold. First, attacks would be launched simultaneously all around Romell, throwing off the guards and military in the city. None of the attack teams other than Skyreach and the Palace were going to be staying in one place long. They were going to show up, raise hell and transport to another location, repeating the cycle.

If everything went according to plan, they would have their brother back, Peregrande would have taken a devastating blow, and they would be without a leader. Knowing his youngest brother, Cristoff would have been surprised if anything was left alive in the palace. Say what you wanted about the man, but he was deadly, especially with Presca by his side. The king was not going to live to see the next day.

Cristoff felt his mate lean into his side and their bond. The little minx pushed her desire for him through. "We have two hours before Romell airspace," she muttered, her brown eyes dancing with fire as she looked up into his midnight sky ones. "Oh the things we can do in a quarter of the time," he purred back at her, catching her lips with his. Twisting his fingers through hers, he pulled her gently out of the room toward the baths and a steam room for privacy, the blonde giggling all the way.

A half-hour later, covered in a sheen of sweat, Lucy lay on her mate's chest, her teeth worrying her lower lip. "That's my job," he smiled gently looking down into her eyes. "I'm just worried about this battle. I feel something big about to happen, but I don't know if it's the battle itself or something around it," she said, placing her chin on his firm pectoral and bringing her hand up his side gentle enough to make the man growl. "I just feel…" she cocked her head to one side, trying to find the words. "Ugh." she finished, her body shuddering as she made a sound of discomfort and slight disgust.

Cristoff hummed in agreement. He had been feeling the same. "Something is coming," he agreed. "I feel it too. But we are going into a major battle. One that will determine a war. I think that feeling is to be expected." He placed a kiss on the tip of her nose. "All that matters is right here," he said, looking into her eyes. "And we are going to be just fine. Just promise me one thing, Starlight."

His eyes poured into her own. She loved his eyes. They reminded her of the night sky. Dreamy and calm. Safe. She cocked her head to hear him out. "Remember not to touch Zen." Her eyes widened at the statement. "Of course not!" she exclaimed leaning up further on his chest. "I don't even think the pull would be there."

She knew what kind of magic Zen possessed. And she knew it would reach for hers if they ever touched. Archangel magic and Celestial magic were made for each other by the heavens, Archangel magic not able to exist without Celestial. Touching Zen would only create a strain between them. They could never meet each other's skin without setting the divine wheels into motion, compelling her to bond to him and him to her. It was just the way their magic worked.

"I promise you, Cristoff. I will not touch Zen. I don't think it would do anything, but I'm not willing to risk it with a strong, possessive mate." Her wicked grin appeared. "Though it would be nice to make you a little jealous every once in a while." With a growl, Cristoff rolled her off his chest and onto her back, locking his lips with hers. And while the nagging feeling of something big coming still hung between them, closing the space between their bodies made it dull and fade into unimportance.

All 200 mages stopped whatever they were doing, spread across the fleet in the sky. "It's time. Prepare yourselves." Kaleb broadcast firmly, his lavender eyes ablaze. The city of Romell came into view, a hush falling over the mages and military alike. _"Vander,"_ he called to his brother on a private link. _"What? I'm a little busy setting up here,"_ the younger man snipped, watching his prey from the shadows, his partner pulled to his side.

_"__Do it."_

A smirk formed on Vander's face and his merlot eyes darkened as he stepped out of the shadows behind the King of Perengrande. Presca joined him at his side, his cold eyes fixed on the dead man. He looked down his narrow nose at the man's back, flicking his right hand from left to right. Vander watched his partner work, their target slumping to the floor and shadows forming a gag. His smirk faded from his face, ice water running through his veins. There wasn't a soul in the palace that would survive the night. He'd see to that. And it all started with this man. This monster that he would make sure felt everything.

Calling a shadow to enter the man, Vander watched his eyes widen and exhaled calmly as the man's muffled screams filled the spacious room. And with that, a cascade of explosions rippled through the palace, turning sections into rubble, and signaling the onslaught of the city.

A/N:

Longer chapter. Getting my groove back, but not quite there yet. Just as a heads up, no one reads these before they get posted. It's just me and Grammarly. If you see something, say something.

The amount of favorites and follows in 24 hours was extremely flattering. And I didn't want to hold this back from you despite it being so soon and this posting rate will not be the norm.

I have the main plot and characters involved with that all hammered out and set up. BUT I'd love to see what you guys would want to see in the side stories and surrounding plotlines. Review and let me know.

Guest: Thanks for reading and reviewing! I'll probably be posting erratically right now. I'm kind of wary of commiting to a schedule of any kind, but I'm going to be posting when I have them done and at a point that I'm happy with it.


	3. Mission

Still don't own Mashima's Fairy Tail or Desna's Pradeshes. Or anything else for that matter. I rent.

Reviews are always welcome and make me feel pretty. Enjoy.

* * *

Lucy took a deep breath, feeling Cristoff's support, love, and concern pulse through their bond. Her long golden hair in a high ponytail, she pulled the leather strap of the bracer on her left forearm. Her soft curves were clad in skin-tight leather magically enhanced to keep her safe in the upcoming battle. A small smile passed her lips as she thought of her Edolas counterpart and her penchant for a skintight bodysuit, which the mage had used as inspiration for the light armor she wore.

Lucy swung her arms, the leather stretched over them starting at her mid-bicep and tightened the laces running to her wrist. Her fingers brushed the whip on her hip. She took another deep breath pushing back through the bond, all her love, all her worry. The leather felt like butter on her skin, well worn, though she had only had it for a few months. Her time in the White Sea had taught her that taking jobs there meant protecting oneself from dark magic and the leather seemed to be not only the best option but also the style chosen by even the most seasoned guild members.

Cristoff crossed the room to reassure his mate. He sighed at the sight of her, placing his large hands on her round hips and sliding them around her, pressing her to his chest. "We have the numbers," he purred, dipping his mouth to her ear. "We have a plan in place. And by the end of the night, we'll have Zen and Peregrande will be on its knees." He nuzzled her neck and placed a light kiss on her pulse point, Lucy leaning into him, feeling his calm wash over her. She was truly blessed by the stars to have found a mate that balanced her worry with his confidence.

"I know." The words fell off her lips and he knew she was feeling better. The mating bond was all about balance. And he had found his. "They should be ready for us," she leaned her cheek into his own.

_"Report to your posts."_ The silken baritone of Kaleb commanded almost as if on cue, driving a sigh from Lucy's lips as she squared her shoulders. She needed to focus. Turning in his arms, Lucy faced her mate and slanted her lips over his. The cool mint taste of his lips on hers brought a small hum from her. She broke their kiss begrudgingly and pulled out of his arms. They needed to get to the deck and she wasn't going to go if they didn't.

Threading her fingers into his, she pulled him through the door, Freed stepping to their sides. He looked at the couple and nodded. He was ready. The three mages that made up Team A emerged onto the deck and received a nod from Kaleb. Lucy felt the back of Cristoff's fingers trail down her upper arm as she watched the rest of the teams form on the deck. They were all there, all looking determined, focused, and ready. They had one shot at this. The element of surprise only worked once.

"You know what you're all doing," Kaleb commanded the attention of the teams aloud. "Keep to the plan and make things quick. We need the Dark Eagle above all else." The teams murmured their agreement. "Wait for my command." They nodded again. Anxiety was starting to well inside of Lucy's chest, bubbling slowly, taking all of her efforts not to let her breath change or let it slip through the bond. She didn't need to worry Cristoff or make him think he needed to be protective. Well more so than normal.

_"Fucker's dead. We're going to sweep the palace."_ Vander's voice rang through their minds followed by a dark chuckle. Kaleb's lavender eyes slid over the teams. _"Meet them at Skyreach when you're finished."_ No response came, leaving Kaleb to assume that Vander and Preseca were otherwise engaged already.

"Team A." Kaleb nodded. They were going to raze the city, get their brother back, and take a savage civilization to its knees. Cristoff and Lucy crouched, taking a prepared knee. Freed, his crouch a second behind the mated pair, followed suit and rested his hand on Cristoff's shoulder, not allowing the man's muscle moving beneath it to provide a distraction as it normally would have. In a whisp of mint and the faint glow of moonlight, the three mages were on the street in front of the colosseum. Taking in their surroundings, they heard the crowd roar. Lucy's eyes darkened in anger, pulsing the emotion through the bond. "Calm, love," she heard Cristoff breath in her ear. She pushed the anger away, letting its smoldering fuel her need to succeed in the mission.

Freed was the first to rise, drawing his rapier and setting runes to protect them from anyone that would attempt to stop them from gaining entry. He began his work on creating a vulnerability in the runes protecting the building. A small smirk tilted on his mouth. "That was easier than expected," he muttered, gesturing to his comrades. He knew his position on Team A's purpose. Disarm the building, shred the defenses and leave it vulnerable to Team D. He set about disarming the rest of the protective runes as Lucy and Cristoff slipped into the tear he had created.

They were met by opulence. The grand foyer of the colosseum boasted a marble floor, staircase, and pillars, gold laced into every fixture. The lacrima light created an elegant and ethereal glow. The low heel on Lucy's over-the-knee leather boots echoed on the marble as they entered and the crowd let loose another mind-numbing roar.

Then she felt it, like a metal cable from her chest tugging on her very soul. She knew what it meant. Lightly touching Cristoff's forearm to gain his attention, she nodded to an alcove to their right. Staying to the shadows created by the pillars, she moved toward the alcove, not sure what was waiting, but feeling the tug in her chest and her mate acknowledging and following her through their bond. They stepped out of the main atrium and into a stone corridor, with significantly lower ceilings and a far less polished aesthetic. They were moving toward the pits.

Lucy's fingertips rested on the handle of her whip, each step calculated. In thirty yards, the hallway ended at a stone spiral staircase leading down. Hurrying down them, Lucy and Cristoff gasped as they took in the sight at the bottom of them. The stairway opened to the pair, revealing a large open room, with cell blocks three stories high. These were the pits, rows, and rows of cages, cells, lining the walls of a massive underground prison that surrounded a courtyard of bathing stalls, a training ring, and an array of areas one could only assume were designed for public punishment.

Attendants caught sight of them and gasped, some cowering, some taking up weapons out of the training, three of them rushing to the mated pair. With a wave of his hand, Cristoff put them to sleep as Lucy unfurled her whip.

Her breath hitched in her chest. Lucy felt the cable in her chest tighten and pull her harder than ever. "He's close," she said to her mate, looking down the cell blocks and up to the second floor. "Virgo, Gemini," she whispered, pulling the keys out of the Requip space in which they lived. "Free every slave, take everyone to the surface." The pink-haired maid nodded and grinned her wicked grin. "Piri, Piri!" Gemini answered and took on Vander's form, causing Cristoff to smirk. He was certain would never stop marveling at how clever Gemini was with who they duplicated.

"Let's find him," Cristoff breathed. Lucy ran up the nearest staircase to the second floor, her ship in her hand as she struck down three very pompous looking men, stepping over them without slowing down. Placing his palms over them as they passed them, he muttered the command to sleep, his targets dropping into a slumber immediately. Releasing a healing mist from his palms, the second floor was flooded with a light scent of mint he pushed it into the cells as they walked past.

Lucy's body suddenly throbbed in one finite pulse as she passed a heavy iron cell door. Stopping at the throb, she snapped her head around to look inside the dark room. "Here," she said as she grimaced. The tug in her body and pulse coursed through her again, creating a borderline painful feeling. Her mind raced as she tried to think about where a key might be or what spirit could best open the door. There was Taurus, who would tear it down, Loke who could - her jaw slacked.

Cristoff felt his mate's mind whirring and spinning, solving the problem she perceived. A locked door. It was one of the sexiest things about her and he relished the feeling. But he could feel the defeat that hung in the air thick enough to cut with a knife. The people were beaten down, demoralized, and their wills weakened. He reached for the handle of the door and pulled. Just as he had thought.

There probably wasn't a locked door in the building.

He glowered, the fact that he was right only angering him more. A soft growl slipped from his throat as the door swung open. The sight inside the door pissed him off to his very core. This was his family. And this is what he had been reduced to.

* * *

_A/N:_

_Holy moly, thanks to everyone that has read this. Sorry it's taken so long to get this up. I wound up writing this and the next chapter in pretty much one sitting in an attempt to keep shit straight. So chapters 3 and 4 were split for reading and editing sake._

_Ooff. Battle might not be my foray. Not going to lie._

_That being said, I'm just editing and putting final touches on Chapter 4: Onslaught. As soon as it's done, I'll get it up._

_Thanks to Laxlu, rmadhumita378, and Dragonfly2311 for the encouraging reviews. Reviews make it easier and easier to come back to writing this even when I'm getting fraudy feelings and creative/insecure stuff. Y'all know what I mean I'm sure. 3._


	4. Onslaught

Still don't own Mashima's Fairy Tail or Desna's Pradeshes. Or anything else for that matter. I rent. 

Reviews are always welcome and make me feel pretty. Enjoy.

* * *

Surprisingly smooth mahogany hair, sun-streaked, and well kept hung to his hips. His wrists, ankles, and neck were collared with magic canceling cuffs that weren't entirely working. Lucy, still in awe that the door had been unlocked, felt the magic pulsing off him. The magic pressure was intoxicating and causing her whole body to thrum. She knew she needed to keep her distance, so rather than running to the man like every fiber of her being was screaming at her to do, she lingered in the doorway, trying to draw a full breath. The man's head hung as he kneeled, but seeming to feel her gaze on him, he looked up with sharp purple eyes and met her golden-brown gaze. She visibly shuddered, making Cristoff frown.

He knew that the pull would exist, but he hadn't realized that even a mated Celestial wizard would be so heavily impacted, feeling the intensity seeping through their mating bond. Cris felt a possessive growl rise in his throat before he could bite it back. She was his mate; his. Cristoff crossed the room to the shackled, kneeling man, shaking himself mentally, his heart pounding. "Zen," he started gently as massive black wings snapped out to defend their owner. "My name is Cristoff Pradesh. This is my mate and wife Lucy. We are here to bring you home."

Zen's purple gaze never left Lucy as he rose to his feet and stood eye to eye with his brother. He rose to stand on firm, muscular legs, each movement accentuating the thinness of the strapping man. The clan tattoo of an eagle that covered the right side of his ribcage seemed to move on its own. The black wings on his back folded down into a non-threatening position and he managed to pull his eyes off Lucy for the first time since she had appeared in the doorway. "Keep her away from me," he stated flatly to his brother, meeting the man's midnight blue gaze, as Cristoff closed the distance between them and began to remove the cuffs attempting and failing to reduce his brother's magic.

He had had this same dream so many times. The owners had taunted him for years with his family. He knew who Cristoff was. He knew what all of his siblings looked like, committing their faces to memory when magazines had been thrown in his face again and again. He had never dared to dream that he would be standing in front of one of them, close enough to feel their breath on his skin. Cristoff smelled faintly of mint, soothing Zen's instincts. A soft lilt reshaped Zen's full lips, almost forming a smile. This was happening. His brother and his wife were there to claim him and bring him home. Home.

Cristoff's nimble fingers slid over iron clasps, releasing his brother's neck first. "She knows not to come near you," he answered, trying to keep his tone gentle. Cristoff seemed to have an endless capacity for compassion, patience, and gentleness. But when it came to Lucy, that capacity was halved. And when he felt anything even resembling a threat to their bond, such as an Archangel pull, those qualities that he prided himself on were diminished to almost a negative degree. Worse than just knowing it was happening, he could feel it in his very bones.

The tension rose in the room as the cuffs were removed from Zen's neck, then wrists, and ankles creating a stronger pull to his mate and discomfort in Cristoff. A sudden pulse of magical energy swept the room, the energy oppressive, making it difficult to draw breath. Lucy gasped as her eyes shone a brilliant gold and she struggled for air. She couldn't bring herself to stay in the room, opting to round the corner of the doorway and leave the room, aching for distance.

Back in the makeshift hallway that was the space outside the cells, Lucy saw dozens of people running all over the mock courtyard. Some were running for the staircase, desperate to get out of the pits altogether. Others were exacting their revenge on their captors, some going so far as to begin tearing the owners and attendants apart with their bare hands. She felt her breath stop in her chest as a burly man was pushed over the rail from above in front of her, screaming as he fell. This had been their goal, but watching it happen was something else entirely. This, she thought, is what revolt looks like. Catching sight of a pink-haired maid tying a man to a post and a black-haired man with red streaks in his hair popping in and out of the shadows, Lucy donned her Leo star dress, preparing to join her spirits in the fray.

Quiet conversation was coming out of the room behind her, barely audible over the chaos in the cell block. "Let's go. Father is waiting," she heard her husband's voice say. There was no reply, but seconds later, Cristoff appeared at her elbow, Zen keeping a respectable distance behind him. He raised an eyebrow at the woman in front of his brother, Celestial mage, his sister-in-law as he took her in. Like any other Celestial mage, she was beautiful. It was no secret the Celestial Spirit King had a soft spot for lovely women. The beauty of the stars was always given to their kind of magic, but there was something different about her that he couldn't put his finger on. He sensed something different. Perhaps it was the bond with his Dragon Slayer brother.

"Let's move," Cristoff's voice wove through the noise.

* * *

They needed to get back upstairs, but they also needed to avoid the throngs of people fighting and trying to escape. Then he saw it; A sliver of moonlight against the railing. "Lucy," she felt him settle into determination in their bond. Instinctively, she placed her hand on his shoulder, seeing Zen doing the same. Placing his hand in the sliver of light provided by the platform to the area, with a wisp of mint-scented magic, they were back in the atrium. Zen's wings snapped out to their full span, watching the people pouring from the stands. A nobleman, whom Zen recognized as a rapist, a murderer, and overall scumbag, was brutally and without hesitation pierced through the chest by razor-sharp feathers. The nobleman crumpled, gurgling and drowning in his blood. But Zen's face remained stoic, the only indication that he had registered the action at all was the flames that burned in his purple eyes.

Another flare of his wings and three more men and women went sailing into the crowd, knocking them and several people in the nearest group of people back. Lucy swung her hand toward the crowd and released a Regulus attack before calling on Cancer's power to take on his star dress. Twin blades appeared in her hands as she saw a familiar pink haired wrecking ball coming barrelling down the stairs toward them. "Natsu!" Lucy shouted, the dragon slayer shoving people out of his way. "We need more time to get them clear!" he replied, skidding to a halt in front of her. "This him?" he asked, nodding toward Zen. Lucy nodded, watching the man move. It was enthralling. Every move, his muscles corded and moved visibly. Every attack was flawless and wasted no energy.

Lucy had seen Vander fight, even trained with him some. And she considered Zen a potentially formidable opponent for the Shadowquip. Every move he made was deadly.

The pull yanked at her chest again, making her shudder. She needed more distance from the man. Turning on her heel, she hurried out the front door of the colosseum and found herself confronted with medium-sized fires, smoke, the smell of blood, and the din of fighting. Peregrande was mobilizing their defenses. A flare of blinding sunlight streaked in front of her and Lucy turned to its source.

Emzadi lowered her hands from her mouth, pulled into a plump, blood-red scowl. Her blonde waves billowed down her back and her tanned skin seemed to glow in the dark. Watching the Solar Dragon Slayer was truly a sight to behold. _"Kaleb!"_ Lucy shouted the thought through the family channel._ "Lucy. Status?"_ he replied. _"We have him."_

_"Thaine will be arriving in a moment, get him ready to transport."_

Lucy turned back to the open doors and pushed through the bond. Cristoff felt her and found her just outside the door frame. She nodded, knowing he had heard the conversation. "Zen!" he shouted, ducking under a swinging wing and entering his brother's space. "You're being transported. This is an extraction. You've fought enough," he said firmly, watching his brother's full lips form a frown. Zen didn't want to leave. He had as much reason as every slave here to hate these people.

Thaine appeared beside Lucy, using her as a beacon for location. "Let's get you aboard," he said, reaching for her hand. Lucy's brows furrowed in confusion. She wasn't leaving. _"Call him off. I'm not leaving without Cris and the rest of our family,"_ she pushed through the mental channel again. Thaine listened to Kaleb's mental order with a small shrug and nodded to her as Cristoff and Zen strode quickly down the low stairs to join them. "This is Thaine, he's going to get you to the airship. Our father is there waiting for you," Cristoff said, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder.

With a weary look, Zen stepped into Thaine's space, resting his hand on the man's shoulder. The two of them disappeared in a whirl of air and magic.

Kaleb's voice rang out across the mental channel he shared with all of the mages at his command. _"Stage three complete. End it."_ The normally warm voice was saturated with ice as it resounded through 200 minds. A few pockets of the city blew at once, acknowledging the command.

A few blood-soaked and brutal moments later, an animalistic roar erupted from within the colosseum and was answered in kind by Emzadi. The noise was deafening. _"Skyreach D, mobilize."_

* * *

The order had all the mages that specialized in destruction storming into the building, which meant one thing; The slaves were clear and it was time for the final stage of their plan. Lucy snatched Cristoff's hand into her own and pulled him, trying to get them as far from the impending destruction as possible. She was all too familiar with how effective Natsu and Emzadi were. Evergreen, Wendy, and Gray joined them as the first massive explosion rocked the building, a plume of dust and smoke rising into the air. Gray tackled Wendy and Evergreen to the ground in an attempt to protect them from the blast. The explosion's pressure pushed into their backs, shoving them off their feet.

Lucy and Cristoff felt their hands part as they were flung forward, both registering minor pain through their bond. She landed on her hands and knees, skidding slightly causing deep scrapes on her palms where the cobblestone street had made contact. Cristoff landed and rolled, landing on his back as his head hit the stone beneath it. He groaned for a moment, pushing his magic to the back of his head and blinked a few times before springing to his mate's side. He pushed his magic into her, examining her whole body. He quickly healed the scrapes, the worst of the bruises and checked her over again. With a breath of relief, he thanked the Immaculate Light that it had been nothing serious. He helped his wife to her feet in time for another shockwave shook the street.

Cristoff yanked himself and his wife out of the shock by swinging into an alley and pressing his back into the wall. He saw soldiers fly by the opening to the street and sighed, resting his chin on top of Lucy's head. It was then he heard a shrill cackle ring out from just up ahead. The sound made a shudder run through Lucy and in turn, Cristoff. They stepped out of the alley and looked down to find a slight man with dark, messy hair, a manic grin on his face cackling. "They make a nice boom," he gasped through peels of laughter. "But so do I." His head dropped to his right shoulder and his grin widened.

Purple threads of magic formed in the mage's palms, warping and wrapping themselves into spheres. His cackling resumed as the spheres grew to engulf his hands, Cristoff pulling Lucy to his body. The mage joined the spheres, melding them into one large, pulsing force. "Heh," he grunted out before the purple light disappeared from his hands and a flash filled their eyes.

Cristoff yanked Lucy to him tighter, turning so that he was between her and the blast. He felt a pain in his middle back as he transported them two city blocks away. The only thought he could manage was to get his mate out of harm's way. They landed in a tangle and Cristoff looked up at Lucy's face. My love, he thought, pushing the thought through their bond before the world went black. Lucy's head was searing, blood sliding down her temple from the side of her head. She felt the love Cristoff pushed through the bond and then... nothing.

His love, his warmth, his strength; in a moment it was all gone. Her brown eyes grew as wide as a cold void touched her soul where he had been. She looked into his face, his eyes open and empty and her eyes slid down his body. What was left was his chest up. The rest of him was gone. A few ragged breaths pumped through her airway. Tears welled in her eyes, streaking her dirty face. Reality hit her all at once. He was gone. Her love, her light was gone. Shaking visibly, she was left holding half of his corpse in the middle of a street. And at that moment, her head fell back, a primal roar of grief leaving her mouth, burning her throat. Her soul was in tatters, a part of her died with him, leaving a gaping hole where he had fit only moments before.

Unable to pinpoint it because of the pain, she heard her name as she wailed again, the pain in her chest getting worse with every passing moment. Then there was nothing but gold. She sobbed, holding Cristoff and felt the gates of the Celestial realm open around her, her spirits' warmth surrounding her, Leo kneeling to cradle her against his chest. She thought for a second that she saw Vander, as she slumped out of Leo's caring embrace and onto the chest of her lost love.

_"Gods, Kaleb, it's Cristoff. He's… he's dead."_

It felt like a pike had been driven into the chest of each member of the Pradesh family. _"How can he be dead? He's a fucking healer."_ Bix asked, begging for his brother to be somehow wrong. _"No."_ Their father's whisper filled their minds. Arman hit his knees on the deck of the airship. He lost the ability to breathe, the ability to think, his mind racing and numb at the same time.

Amidst the explosions around the city, the stink of battle, Arman felt the deep, guttural pain of loss rip through his entire being and a massive hole open in his heart.

* * *

_A/N:_

_Day off work meant editing. So I know this might be a little frustrating. Bear with me. I'm working on the next chapter before this one is even posted. Promise. -crosses heart-_

_Thanks to everyone who is reading and a great fucking big thank you to those of you reviewing, favoriting and following. I can't tell you how much it encourages me to keep writing seeing people engaging with the story._


	5. Will

She heard crying. Not open sobbing, but someone had been crying it sounded like for a while. There was a large hand resting on her right forearm. She gently wiggled her toes and twitched her fingers. Everything seemed accounted for. She tried to take a deep breath and found that it just wouldn't come. Lucy's breathing remained shallow as she attempted to open her eyes. Their lids just felt so heavy, like she was blindfolded. But she didn't feel anything on her face. There was intense, throbbing pain in her chest. Really throughout her whole body, but the worst had settled under her sternum. The blackness around her seemed to swirl as she drifted off again, letting it swallow her.

* * *

It had to have been hours. Freed clung to Laxus' shirt soaking the huge blond man with tears. His large hands moved in circles over the crying man's back as his tears slid down his cheeks. Bix sat on the floor, his knees drawn to his chest, resting on his forehead. His tears had stopped a while ago, drying him up, leaving nothing but red splotches and streaks down his tanned, handsome face. They had recovered her, tried to heal her, and then they had lost her. Brunette hair swirled around a white pillowcase and framed her face in gentle, loose curls. Freed had made sure that she looked beautiful. It was what Evergreen would have wanted.

Bickslow lifted his head from his knees and batted non-existent tears from his face, leaning his head back on the wall behind him. His red eyes slid over Freed and Laxus' embrace. He needed to be held. He needed to feel desired. He felt an urge in his body that demanded the feeling of life. And for a Boscan, there was no better way to get that itch scratched than a trip to the bath. A sigh escaped his lips and he rose to his feet, groaning softly at the weight that his body held. He was a wreck. They'd all be sore for days.

Centering himself on his feet, he walked to the side of the bed that held that woman that had been another sister to him. "Sweet sister," he breathed. His eyes took in every detail of her smooth face. She was one of the first people other than Laxus himself to take him in when he arrived at Fairy Tail beaten to hell and already up to his ass in trouble. Falling in with the wrong crowd when you had illegal magic and a shitty teenage attitude was much easier than people would probably have thought. The brunette had never been particularly kind per se. But there was a softness that he and all of the Thunder Legion had been familiar with. Evergreen was more than capable of softening her edges for any of them.

Bix was embarrassed to think of the number of times he had shown up at Fairy Hills to be promptly shooed away by Erza and told she would meet him back at his place when he had had his heartbroken. She'd show up with ice cream and every lacrima movie she could find that had a body count and/or a monster and they would snuggle on his couch. She had never said a word of reassurance or judgment if he had started to cry. She just let him be in that moment. And now, even though he was going to miss her fiercely for the rest of his life, he needed to walk away without reassurance or judgment.

Freed and Laxus needed each other. Bix needed something more primal.

His fingertips grazed the side of the bed, running his eyes over her one last time before she'd be sent back to Fiore, to her family. He said a small prayer to whoever it was that heard them take care of her soul. He, better than anyone, knew how special it was. With a deep breath, Bix straightened his body and strode across the room to his brothers, still locked in each other's arms. He wrapped himself around Freed from behind, nuzzling his face into the emerald hair of his friend before kissing his temple. He lifted a hand to Laxus' face and ran a thumb under his eye, wiping away a tear.

With that, he strode from the room toward the bath, entering autopilot. When he arrived, he walked up to two attendants, eyeing them both hungrily, and not even fussing with the bath. He'd get to that later. He ran the knuckles of his right hand down the woman's neck, feeling the vibration of her moan and with his left, he ran his long fingers through the chin-length, dark hair of her companion. "Share pleasure with me," he purred.

* * *

Arman's jade eyes danced with unshed tears as he watched his girls. Xally snuggled into her sisters bust on the couch and in her sleep, Emzadi wrapped her arm tighter around her. They hadn't left the room in over a day, but then, neither had he. They were staying by Lucy's side no matter what. The trip back home would last a few more hours and they would be moving her to their family home outside Pelerno to stay, more likely than not, until her death. Arman flinched at the thought. It was an ugly thing that their family was going to have to address and address it they would. But the blonde needed to open her eyes and come back to them.

Kaleb was making steady rotations into the room to check on his sister-in-law's mental state. And while he wasn't able to pull her out, he did confirm each time that she was in there, that she could make it out. She simply wasn't ready.

Perhaps it was his lifetime of work as an ambassador, but Arman was having a hard time thinking of the day since the battle in Romell ended as trying. The word made him wrinkle his nose, but there was little else that he felt as apt, though horribly underwhelming. The return of a son, the loss of a son. His grieving family, his dying daughter in law. It was almost more than he could bear. It was times like these when he was at his lowest, and this was his lowest, that he missed his late wife the most. He wished he had someone to help him help his children.

His eyes slid over the girls again. Kaleb was due any moment for a check-in on the sleeping Celestial mage. Zen was sleeping slumped in the chair next to him, Bix was with his team, mourning one of their own, Farron was helping Kaleb with funeral arrangements for his fellow guildmates and Vander. Well, last time he had seen Vander he was ducking into a steam room with three other White Sea mages to blow off some steam. When the Strauss siblings had made disapproving faces, Arman had taken the opportunity to educate them about Boscan culture, summing up the minute explanation with a shrug, a raised eyebrow, and the simple statement, "Essentially, my son has been through devastating trauma. He's going to fuck his way through it. When in Bosco…" He thought he felt himself trying to smile, but he didn't. He wholeheartedly approved of his son's methods to cope. And he knew Kaleb would be assisting with it as well.

"Glad you can still entertain yourself," his son quipped, attempting humor as he entered the room. "Let's see how Lucy is holding up…" A sigh escaped his mouth. Kaleb was tired. So very tired. He had been running on the same three hours of sleep in the last thirty-six. He scanned all of his siblings present in the room, which was most of them, to make sure they were alright, even just generally speaking. His sisters piled onto the couch together surprised him even less. How many times had they all slept in the same bed, a pile of children surrounding whoever had had a nightmare. Or even as adults, piling in with Emzadi after her failed mating attempts and the heartbreak that had followed.

Kaleb approached the bed and laid the back of his fingers onto his sister-in-law's forehead. She was still clammy, but that was to be expected. Most of the grime of battle had been sponged off her face and body, but they had yet to properly bathe her. He took a seat on the edge of her bed and looked into her face. Even asleep, it was obvious she was in pain. Keeping his face even, Kaleb steeled himself and touched her mind.

It was chaos, just as before. There was so much distortion. Seeing flashes of Cristoff and Lucy together, laughing, bathing, holding one another, in bed. The sound was almost too much to take, with the screaming, moaning, fighting, roaring laughter. It was like everything that had happened in the last two and a half years was playing at the same time. He saw his brother's dead eyes flash again and again. _"Why are you here?"_

Her voice was strong, cutting through the din of her head. It caught Kaleb off guard. He had been checking in on her every hour on the hour and this was the first time she had acknowledged him. _"I'm checking in on you,"_ he replied, his baritone steady but his words feeling weak. Her voice broke a little as she spoke. _"You can stop. I'm dying, Kaleb. That's the way this works. Just let me go with him."_ Her voice trailed off, seeming to get far away, but he knew she was still there. She had been there every time he checked on her. He felt irritation well in his chest.

_"Where is that 'go to hell, never give up' attitude we've all come to love, Lucy?"_ he ground out. _"Do you think that's what Cristoff would want? You can stay here as long as you need to, but you need to come back. You are alive."_

There was a long moment that his words had hung between them in her mind. But without warning, he felt her shutting him out. It was as if door after door were slamming in his face, forcing him out of her spaces. The din of her thoughts resumed, inundating him more than ever. And with a final push, he was out.

"Well?" Arman asked his son, desperation on his face. "I'll be back in an hour," Kaleb answered, unable to tell his father that the woman he was keeping vigil over had decided to drown in the memory of his brother and die.

* * *

"There has to be something we can do! Anything!"

Leo paced the same five steps in front of the Celestial throne, exasperated. He was restless, unable to go to his mistress, unable to bring her back what she wanted and needed most, unable to do anything but pace in front of the king and rave. The king heaved a sigh, understanding the desperation in Leo's mannerisms and tone. He was feeling equally helpless.

"You know there is nothing that can be done at this moment, Leo," he replied. He would give anything for it to be untrue, but in his heart, he knew it was. Hearing the pain in his favored mage's cries, knowing that she had resigned herself to the fate of so many dragon's mates. It broke his heart. And he wasn't going to sit by idly and watch it happen. "They should be here any moment," he reminded his old friend.

Leo growled quietly, still pacing back and forth. He knew that there would be little they could do, but there had to be something. And he knew that the meeting that was about to happen would be the first step in saving his Princess. Giving up his pacing, Loke took a seat on the left side of the table that had been placed in the room for this meeting. The king had been periodically checking on Lucy, as Leo himself had, and found that she was still asleep, something the lion spirit was grateful for. Perhaps when she came back to them he would have good news to share.

"Old friend, they have arrived," the king spoke gently. "Do remember who you are going to be in the presence of. The All-Mother does not take kindly to impertinence." Leo pouted and glowered discreetly at the king. "I'll keep it in mind," he grumbled in response, earning a pointed look.

The double doors opened and in strode four beings. The first he recognized as the Celestial Dragon, Draco. He was in a humanoid form, black suit unbuttoned at the collar and glittering scales forming the shape of his constellation peeking out from under the fabric on the left side of his neck. His black hair was waist length, swept into a loose braid that lay over his right shoulder. Draco took in the room, his gold eyes sweeping everything in a moment above a straight nose and thin lips. His lithe body moved with seemingly perfect control as he bowed to the king and took his seat, directly across from Leo. "Pussy," he grunted. "Geko," Leo mumbled in reply, earning another pointed look from the king.

"None of that," he demanded softly.

The second being to enter was awe-inspiring. Cassiopeia was truly a sight to behold. Her flowing dark chestnut hair skimmed her hips, the light fabric of her dress hugged her curved body in all the right places and her face… Leo could hardly stand to look. Her eyes were a kaleidoscope of color, her lips were rosy and full, all set into skin as smooth and fair as cream. It was nearly painful to take her beauty in for Leo who was surprised at his sudden urge to purr at her. Mortified, he bit back the impulse. He would never give the lizard satisfaction.

And what was more, her daughter, the third being to enter was practically a copy of her. Andromeda was the spitting image of her mother, though her nose was slightly wider to no detriment and her hair was a sandy brown rather than the stark chestnut of her mothers.

Cassiopeia took her seat, pulled out next to Draco by the dragon and smiled demurely. Not to be outdone, Leo rose to his feet, pulling the chair next to him out for Andromeda. These were goddesses of women. He found himself slightly intimidated as she gave him a small smile and muttered a thank you. The final being to enter the room was the All-Mother. Her hood was pulled up, casting a deep shadow across her face. Leo had been in the presence of the All-Mother before but had never laid eyes on her face. From what he understood about how she worked, that was a damn good thing.

Everyone seated at the table rose to their feet and bowed to the woman in the cloak. As she took her seat, the others followed. "Your favored one has found herself in trouble once again it would appear," she said, her words and tone even, without judgment. She was far too old and had seen too much to judge anyone of anything. She was certain nothing anyone in the realms could manage to surprise her.

"Her dragon slayer mate died. He died a good death, but dragon magic is ancient and finite. She will die without him," Leo answered her. He was appalled by the response by the beings around the table as they began to chuckle and, in Draco's case, outright laugh. "Surely you don't think anything is finite, cat. You've been around long enough to know better." Leo's mouth pulled into a scowl, determined to not earn himself another look from the king.

"What Leo is trying to say," the king started his smile fading from his lips, "is that we are concerned for our Starbringer. She is special to the Celestial Realms, a true ally and the loss of her would be detrimental to us all."

Cassiopeia smiled faintly at him. "And what are you suggesting? We intervene for one Celestial Summoner?" Draco turned to the woman beside him, resting his arm on the back of his chair and locking eyes with her sternly. "You have intervened for less," he retorted and sneered, "It is no secret that you created the compulsion that eventually destroyed the Archangel magic users. What is wrong with the assistance of a Celestial Summoner we all have a soft spot for?"

The All-Mother took in her company at the table. "There is no need to intervene," she stated simply. "Everything she needs, she already has." Leo looked at the woman in shock and was pleased to find that he wasn't the only one. Draco's brow was furrowed in her direction and the Spirit King wore a look of curiosity. The All-Mother continued, "She must find the way or she will not survive a mortal year."

The words 'will not survive a mortal year' rang in Leo's head like a gong, reverberating against every part of his skull. A year was so short. Even for mortals, a year was practically nothing. And while he thought the world of Lucy, she could be as dense as any other mortal, refusing to look beyond what she understood to be true. He had his work cut out for him.

Andromeda pulled him from his thoughts. "Nature abhors a vacuum. If the Starbringer falls, there will be another, just as there always has been. Her fate is in her own hands." Her statement was harsh but true and Leo knew it. Her soft, sweet voice didn't make the declaration any easier to swallow. "Then tell me what I can do for her," he asked of the beings. He knew if anyone could get through to Lucy it would be him. And he could instruct her in what to do.

"Lion spirit, you are not able to help her. She must find the will and way on her own, without Celestial assistance. She must make her own choices to control her fate," the All-Mother answered firmly. Leo understood. He hated it, but he understood. He was being told that he was to not divulge anything that could sway Lucy one way or another. Sometimes he hated being bound to the realm in addition to his mage. His allegiance to the realm, no matter how much he loved Lucy, would always have to come first. With a small sigh, Leo hung his head.

"Yes, All-Mother."

* * *

_A/N:_

_It would appear I simply can't help myself. This is just happening._

_Thanks to Sesshy's Rose for the kind review and to everyone favoriting and following. It means everything._

_Don't know when I'll get the next chapter up, but frankly, I'd be surprised if it took too long. We've still got a bit of the weeps coming, but it'll start to get more storyline-y instead of fallout-y soon._

_One more side note, it's me and Grammarly going through this before it's published so if you see something, please, please say something._


	6. In The Dark So Long

Still don't own Mashima's Fairy Tail or Desna's Pradeshes. Or anything else for that matter. I rent.

Reviews are always welcome and make me feel pretty. Enjoy. Note at the end. Artificial citrus flavor included (as in, not the real deal.)

* * *

_"Bix."_

Bickslow ignored the silken voice in his mind. He was what one might call incapacitated and happily so. He watched the lilac head rock to and from his body keeping a delicious rhythm that bordered on excruciating in the best way possible. The female attendant lay panting beside him, coming down from her high, which made the Seith mage nearly beat his chest with pride. It was damn near impossible to bring a Boscan bath attendant to orgasm, but no one, even the most trained of bath attendants could keep their composure when he got his tongue involved.

_"Bix!"_

_"Nggh…"_ he groaned mentally and aloud. _"Busy,"_ he grunted back, feeling the heat pool in his body. _"Wrap it up and get to the room. We need to talk. Now."_ With a slew of rather impressive, creative curses, Bix threaded his fingers through the lilac hair, thrusting gently into his mouth. The man on him teetered the edge of pretty. And that was how he liked men.

_"Fine… Fuck. Get out."_ He felt himself alone in his head just in time to tip over the edge in peace. It was his third of the tryst and it was just what he needed. It didn't stop his thoughts of his brother. It didn't stop the thoughts of Ever. But it helped to make him feel alive. He was reminded of an old proverb from his clan. "Death is for the dead." He vaguely remembered attending a clan funeral once as a child. It had been beautiful and lively. It had been a celebration of life, not the weepy, unpleasant affairs of the Fiorians. There was no black, there was no keening. It was bright, beautiful, and oddly reassuring.

Bix untangled his long fingers from the man in front of him. Bending down, he placed a kiss on the man's full lips and leaned over to nuzzle and kiss the woman by his side. With a wink and grin, Bickslow excused himself. He stepped out of the steam room and into a stall for a quick shower. He'd need to sink into the bath later, but just then, it was enough to smell the water from the Grass Sea that filled the pool-sized bath. It was soothing as he felt a teardrop from his eye, lost in the shower spray. _"Bickslow!"_ He groaned at the sound of his full name. Kaleb, and frankly the rest of his family, rarely called him anything but Bix or Bixy. Well, that and a few certain swear words if it was Vander. _"I'm on my fucking way!"_ he shouted through the link. Grumbling softly under his breath about nagging brothers and just trying to get the fresh smell of sex rinsed off his body, Bix bent at the hip and towel-dried his hair. It was longer than it had been since he had been sent to Fiore as a young man. It hung just below his shoulders in the tradition of a clansman, the blue and black locks a point of pride. A certain someone had made a few lewd comments about long hair in Bosco, and he had paid attention, especially after his pardon came through and he was able to spend significant time at home.

Five minutes later, he strode into the room their family had been sharing aboard the airship. While he wasn't surprised to see Farron sitting on a lower bunk, his forearms resting on his thighs and Kaleb leaning against the same rack, he was shocked to find Vander sitting opposite Farron looking like his exact opposite mirror reflection. His dark, red-streaked hair fell over his shoulder in waves and black not-quite-leather made of shadows hugged every inch of him. At first glance you could miss it, he thought, noting sadness in his brother's wine-colored eyes. Vander smirked at him as he entered the room. "Look who decided to surface," he smiled, pulling his brother up and wrapping him in an embrace. Bix knew what Vander had seen. Kaleb had shared it so that he could help with his soul if need be. But Vander's soul was the beacon of light it had always been, not a dark spot to be found, despite what he had gone through in Romell.

The former Bloodhunter hugged his brother back. "Gods, Bixy you reek of sex," he started, pulling out of his brother's arms and looking him over. "Couldn't be bothered to shower properly or bring the fun with you?" A playful smirk lifted the corners of his mouth. Bix grumbled and glared at Kaleb, "It was cut short." Kaleb shot an unamused look back at Bix through his eyelashes.

"I wouldn't have called you if it wasn't important," he said, his tone hinting at his annoyance with his brothers. "It's about Lucy." He had their collective attention at the last words. Kaleb couldn't help but be happy to see his grinning brother get serious. "Cosplayer's awake?" Bix asked hurriedly, perking up immediately. Lucy was more than his sister-in-law. She was his family before she had met Cristoff. They were guildmates and had even settled into the weirdest friendship either of them could have pictured.

"This will just be easier," Kaleb replied through a link he established for them all. He tried to tone down the din that was Lucy's mind, the memories that had flooded him and overwhelmed him as he shared their conversation with his brothers. Farron sighed audibly, bringing his forehead into his hands. There was a sting at the back of his eyes, but he held it together, though just barely. Bix crossed his arm over his chest and rested the other elbow on his wrist, thumb pressed into his lower lip. Vander took his seat on the bunk again, wringing his hands lightly. They all took a moment to process what they had just seen and heard. All of them were shaken to varying degrees by her resignation. The sound of defeat in her internal voice was unnerving.

Farron batted a tear from his cheek, his will slipping and sighed again. None of them knew what to say or do. A pregnant silence hung between them, Kaleb trying to let them come to terms with what they had seen. He had been grappling with it himself, cycling between grief for his brother and his mate, anger at Lucy for giving up, and an uneasy feeling keeping everything from his father. Kaleb's relationship with Arman was fantastic, little kept from either, full of respect and love. But he just couldn't bring himself to break his father's heart all over again. It was wreaking havoc on him, which is why he had brought his brothers in.

Vander cleared his throat, breaking the silence. With a deep inhale, "So what now?" he asked softly. They all looked around at each other for a moment. "Has dad left her side?" Farron asked, the sting behind his eyes lessening again. It would be back, he knew. It had been coming and going since he had been told about Cristoff. "No," Kaleb answered. "Dad has been watching her like a hawk. Zen hasn't left dad's side. Xally and Emi were asleep in a pile when I was down there." His lavender eyes took in each of his brothers. He was getting impatient with them, his normal calm fraying at the edges. He had done this for their help. Kaleb took a steadying breath and sat down next to Farron, mimicking his brother's position.

"Fuck," Bix breathed, racking his fingers through his damp blue and black locks. "Well, we can't let this happen," Vander blurted out and started pacing a few steps in either direction. "She can't give up. Fuck that." Bix nodded his agreement and worried his bottom lip. "You're going to have to go back in there and drag her out by her hair if that's what it takes," he looked pointedly at Kaleb. Bix felt his lip curl at the thought of Kaleb dragging lucy by a handful of mental hair, the blonde spitfire fighting like a demon the whole time.

"Or we could take the approach of not knowing enough to write her off. I mean, how long does it take?" Farron spoke gently, tiptoeing around saying it. They all knew he meant her dying of a broken heart. With head shakes, grunts of uncertainty and shrugs, he had his answer. None of them knew how long it was going to take for the dragon magic to claim her. "I'm not opposed to either method," Kaleb sighed. "We just need her awake. Once she's awake, we can cross bridges as we come to them." With a glance down at his watch, Kaleb muttered, "Shit. I need to go check on her again."

His brothers all moved to come with him. He looked over them. Bix rolled his eyes and huffed at his brothers, but it was Farron that spoke. "We can't all go. Dad will know something is up and it's safe to assume you haven't told him?" Kaleb nodded his reply. "Fuck that, I'm going." And with that, Vander slipped into the shadows, likely to beat whoever else to the infirmary. Kaleb shook his platinum head and smiled lightly. Leave it to Vander to be able to make them smile, no matter what was going on. With a sigh, Farron took his seat again, thumb and index finger resting on the bridge of his nose, a mannerism Kaleb couldn't help notice that he shared with their father. Taking in Bix's squared shoulders and determined look, Kaleb assumed that the Seith would be coming with him. With an eye roll and a breathy, "Fine," Kaleb began the short walk to the infirmary.

* * *

Arman sighed at nothing and everything. The mahogany and blonde-streaked head of his son slipped off his shoulder, startling the man awake. Arman almost smiled as his purple eyes snapped open at the sudden shift in weight brought him straight to consciousness. He watched as Zen took in his surroundings. "Anything changed?" he asked his voice heavy with sleep, looking at the blonde in front of them. He exhaled deeply through his nose, feeling the weight of the situation more than ever. "No." She was still sleeping, seemingly slipping away, Kaleb was keeping something from him, which he knew for a fact as the man's father, and dealing with the conflicting joy and misery of a son returned and a son lost.

Zen rolled his shoulders and his neck, shrugging off the odd angle he had been sleeping in. He was having a difficult time processing everything that had been happening to and around him. He had been out of the pits for less than thirty-six hours. He has been a slave for years so the idea of sleeping in a bed was foreign. The idea of being surrounded by people that not only didn't want to see him dead or rape him was foreign. And above all, having the warm embrace of his family surrounding him, quite literally at first, was the most foreign idea of all. Though, thankfully, they seemed to have backed off enough for him to breathe if not spread his wings. But the added complications of not only the brother that had died saving him but his dying wife and the weight of guilt that hung on him was starting to feel crushing. Factor in the fucking magical pull to his sister-in-law, it was all he could do not to crawl out of his skin. But he also couldn't bear to be away from his father after spending so much time away from him.

Arman looked at the grown man beside him. He had held Zen in his arms for the first time in far, far too long only the day before. No father should have to wait for decades to embrace his child. He had had a hard time not reaching out to touch him just to prove he was there. And though he couldn't even begin to imagine being away from any of his children right now because every one of them needed him and each other, he was in dire need of a bath, a proper meal, and some companionship. His jade green eyes slid closed imagining himself lounging in the waters of the Grass Sea, placing his thumb and index finger on the bridge of his nose.

The heavy metal door opened quietly and in stepped more of his children. It wasn't very often that Arman had had all his children in one place. Between Bix being unable to legally come home regularly, Kaleb running the largest wizard guild in Bosco, Xally being in medical school, and Farron often traveling wherever he couldn't, getting them all in one place was damn near impossible. But knowing that nearly everyone, the thought causing a massive rip in his heart, on the same airship was enough to make him both the most devastated and happy man. Kaleb's platinum hair swayed, tied back with a strap low on his neck as he strode into the room, Bickslow on his heels.

A look of concern spread across Arman's face. There was definitely something going on. "Dad," Kaleb said aloud gently, "Would you mind taking Emi, Xally, and Zen to get something to eat? Maybe a shower?" Arman's eyes narrowed at his son. "What's going on?" he asked in return. Kaleb looked at his pile of sisters and Zen in turn. He didn't want to have this conversation yet. They needed to try to get to Lucy again before filling in their father. Bix's eyes darted to a shadow hovering around the couch their sisters were sleeping on. Vander. He crossed his arms over his chest and tried to keep his gaze neutral. He hated keeping things from all of them. Even though he knew it was for the best at that moment.

"Dad, please," Bix said in a normal volume and nearly desperate tone, hoping to wake his sisters. Xally slept feather-light. It was a wonder she hadn't been distributed yet. "Trust us," Kaleb added. Arman looked back and forth between his sons. Bixy's neutral face was out of the ordinary, which meant it was something important. Kaleb was keeping secrets, which could only mean it was bad news. His hand ran through his jet black hair, unveiling some of the silver around his right temple. Zen looked at his father and his brothers and he knew their father was right. No one could lie in his presence without him knowing, and while neither man had lied, it was clear they weren't telling the truth either.

Xally was the first to stir, bringing a small hand to her right eye and rubbing lightly before she realized that she had nearly crawled into her sister's veil dress with her. Not that either of them cared, but it was still not the best place to wake up to a room full of people. Emzadi purred her little snore as Xally sat up, blinking at her brothers. "Xally," Zen addressed her without looking at her, "Let's go get something to eat. Mind waking Emzadi up?" She muttered a positive response, growing more confused by the second. With a small shake and an utterance of her name, Xally had orange eyes on her. "We're going to eat and get cleaned up. C'mon." Kaleb looked pointedly at his sister. _"We need time with Lucy. Alone. We need you, Xally, and Zen to take dad with you for a bit."_

_"Please, Emi,"_ Bix added. Like she could deny them anything.

With a long blink, sharp exhale and clearing of her throat, Emzadi stood, walked over to Lucy's bed and kissed her sister on her clammy forehead. _"Whatever you're doing, make it quick. He's not going to stay away long,"_ she thought at Kaleb, keeping the conversation private. "C'mon, Dad. Let's go eat something."

Bix and Kaleb remained where they were as the watched a reluctant Arman stand, brush a kiss on his daughter-in-law's cheek and eye them both suspiciously. "I won't be long," he muttered to them before following his other children out of the room, the door clicking shut behind them all. Before their footsteps had even begun to fade down the hallway, Vander stepped out of the shadows by the couch and he joined his brothers. "What do you see, Bix?" he asked, looking at the blonde in the bed. Her breathing was even, her skin had a thin sheen of sweat, but that was no indication of what was going on with her. The damage she had suffered, other than a few scrapes and bruises, had been in her mind and her soul. Luckily, they had ways of accessing and helping to heal both.

A faint green glow filled Bix's eyes. He was familiar with Lucy's soul. It was a glowing, radiant gold that seemed to have no limits, woven together with a swirl of midnight blue that had represented his brother. It was truly a sight to behold. Or, at least, it had been. But the part of her soul that had been ripped away and replaced during the mating, the piece of soul that had belonged to Cristoff originally was gone, leaving her soul damaged beyond anything he had ever seen. It was still golden, still radiant, but it was smaller than it had been, the midnight glow of Cristoff's soul gone without a trace save for a gaping hole. Worse than just missing what appeared to be a quarter of its size, it was, for a lack of something better to think of it as... "Still leaking," he answered. "But it doesn't look like it's quite as bad as it was. Maybe it's slowing down. It's hard to tell." He shook his head. "I've never seen anything like this before." He didn't know when he had brought his thumb to his lower lip again, but he felt it suddenly as he felt the weight of his brother's hand on his shoulder.

A sparkle of light shone in the room and Leo appeared standing beside Vander. With a side-eye for startling him slightly, not that he would ever visibly show it, Vander asked, "Any news on your end?" Leo nodded, walking over to the bed and taking Arman's chair. "Don't keep us waiting, Loke," Bix barked to his guildmate. He was steadily falling into a sour mood, making a mental note to go back to a certain pair of bath attendants later. "I can't say. But take me in with you. I have to talk to her," he said, looking at Kaleb with pleading eyes set behind blue lenses. Kaleb looked at the spirit with a hard gaze. "It's not pretty in there," he warned. Leo nodded once to show he understood. With a small sigh, steeling himself once again, Kaleb set up the link between his brothers, Leo and himself first. _"She is scattered, disoriented, and not the Lucy we know. You need to prepare yourselves for that,"_ he pushed through the link. The other men in the room acknowledged him with nods. _"Here we go."_

At once they were all hit with the same sounds of laughing, crying, screaming, flashes of Lucy and Cristoff over the whole length of their relationship that Kaleb had shown everyone but Leo. It was loud, disorienting, and left them breathless. But it didn't take long to regain their bearings. _"Lucy."_ Kaleb tried to reach out to her, hoping that she wouldn't just shut him out right away. She had already proven that she could remove him if she didn't want him there. _"I told you to stop, Kaleb,"_ she answered, her voice firm and full of sadness. Kaleb, Vander, Bickslow, and Leo all felt the weight of that sadness come off her in waves. _"And I told you I wouldn't,"_ he challenged. Her sigh rang out clearly over the dulled din of memories. _"Just let me go,"_ she said, just as she had before.

Bix was overwhelmed with emotion._ "Cosplayer, you can't mean that,"_ he said, his voice heavy with emotion. This wasn't his cosplayer. This was an imposter, determined to give up and let fate, of all things, decide for her. There was a pause before she answered. _"Bixy."_ The lessening of the sadness in her voice was a relief to them all. _"He's not the only one,"_ Vander piped in, his voice flatter than his brothers had ever heard it. He glanced around the room at the other men, worry etched into his near-perfect features. _"Gods, Kaleb is everyone here?"_ she asked, her tone sharper. _"No. Just us…"_ he looked to Leo. _"And me,"_ he finished. _"Princess. Please come back to us,"_ he pleaded gently, softly. His heart was breaking seeing her in the state she was in. He felt like he had failed her, failed her mate. He couldn't let this happen. Not again. Another Celestial mage could not die under his care.

Another sigh filled their minds. _"Why? He's gone. Why would I come back just to be the living dead for however long it takes for my heart to finally give out from the pain? Why would I come back just to face that he's not here every day and I'm going to die no matter what? Why would I do that, Loke?"_ Kaleb looked at the Zodiac spirit and nodded. Not only was that the most she had said, but it was the most passionate she had sounded about anything. Loke was striking a nerve that he just couldn't touch himself. And that was what he considered progress.

Leo looked at the platinum blonde, his dark brown eyes meeting lavender ones, catching the nod and sending a pleading apology to the men in the room. _"Because you don't have to die,"_ he answered simply. Vander and Bickslow nearly gave themselves whiplash turning to look at the spirit. But they didn't see any doubt in his eyes, no sign of lying or bullshitting his way through this. He meant it. She could survive the death of her mate. There was silence in her mind for the first time and it hung in the air for what seemed like hours. The memories had stopped playing at even their lower volume. They had her attention. Bix took a steadying breath. _"Cosplayer, I'm looking at the bastard. He's… he's telling the truth."_ Kaleb could have kissed the orange-haired man sitting by her bed. He had given them something they hadn't had before. Leverage. And he wasn't the only one to see it.

_"Lucy,"_ Vander addressed her gently._ "Let's make a deal."_ More silence was his answer, which wasn't a no. _"Come out of this. Come back to all of us and we will find a way to what this asshole knows out of him together. We'll find a way to stop the magic."_ Leo shot the Shadowquip mage a glare, who met it with a shrug. More silence hung around them for what seemed like hours as it started again. Like a door slamming in their faces, they were pushed back out of her mind. Kaleb, having experienced it before, wasn't shocked. She was done talking. But that didn't mean the other men weren't caught off guard. "What the fuck?!" Bix hissed aloud. Vander glowered at the blonde in the bed. Yes, he was concerned for her, she was family, but that didn't mean he couldn't be pissed at her. And Leo, still sitting beside her, reached for her hand as her fingers twitched, his hand pausing above hers. And then they twitched again.

They all stared at her still sleeping form, collectively holding their breath as her breathing hitched for a moment before becoming slightly faster and more shallow. _"Dad!"_ Kaleb shouted through their family link. _"She's waking up!"_ There was a din of several family members speaking at once as they heard the thundering of multiple people running down the hallway outside the door only moments later. The metal door swung hard on its hinges scraping as it hit the wall behind it. Arman led the pack, running to the bed and sitting lightly on the bed beside her.

Her head swam and her body ached. She groaned slightly, trying to move her legs which felt incredibly stiff. Her whole body felt stiff. And then there it was, the pain buried underneath her sternum. Sharp, sizzling, and throbbing. Had she been wounded in the chest? She didn't think she had. But it wasn't out of the realm of possibility. With a deep breath, she gave her eyelids a try. They felt heavy, but not as heavy as the last time she had tried to open them. With a small groan, her eyebrows knitted together for the briefest of moments. She relaxed again, trying her eyes once more. It worked.

Chocolate brown eyes fluttered open slowly, dropping closed a couple of times before she could keep them mostly open. The room swam with color, shapes taking longer than normal to focus. Lucy was awake.

* * *

_A/N:_

_So things have been nuts in my little world. That's why it's been longer than it has been between chapters._

_I know that this was kind of meh, but I wanted to get something up for those of you reading._

_Please let me know if you love it or hate it in the reviews. For folks reviewing, I've reached out to do so, but I'd like to thank you again. Taking the time… can't tell you how much it means. There are no words._

_Additionally to Guest Reviewer, I know that posting this story was a little bit of a risk. Cristoff's death was savage. I know this. And while I'm so happy that people have been sticking it out, I didn't like it any more than you. Glad you kept reading._

_Finally, I don't see it taking long to get something up again soon. I've been itching to get back to this story. _

_You may have noticed what appears to be a continuity error. It's not. Anyone want to hazard a guess?_


	7. Goodbye To My Good Side

Still don't own Mashima's Fairy Tail or Desna's Pradeshes. Or anything else for that matter. I rent.

Reviews are always welcome and make me feel pretty. Enjoy. Note at the end. Lemony bits ahead.

* * *

Lucy's golden brown eyes fluttered open and a small, sleepy smile formed on her lips. With a long blink, she took in the room around her. Double doors leading out on their patio were thrown open, letting in the tantalizing smell of the Grass Sea. In the last year that she had spent in Bosco, she was yet to find a word that truly fit the smell. The closest she had come to hitting that nail on the head was 'vital.'

Her slender, slightly tanned arms rose above her head as she arched her back for a stretch, a small moan leaving her lips from the angle of her torso. A soft grumble escaped the man next to her and she couldn't help but smile. This was how every morning had been for the last year and a half. She would wake, stretch, make some noise and find herself being growled at by the hulking man beside her whether he was awake or not.

Relaxing out of her stretch and bringing her arms to her chest she rolled to face him. Long blue-black hair fell over the white pillowcase. His face was gorgeous. He had high cheekbones, a sharp, sloping nose, and full, kissable lips that made her melt every time they touched her. And while she was fairly certain she was a mess in her sleep, he looked softer, more innocent, and peaceful. Not to say that her mate wasn't a peaceful, soft man awake, but sleep took all of his edges and rounded them out. He looked like an angel. His massive form was bare to his hips leaving his chest and shoulders wonderfully exposed. Relaxed, one still couldn't help but notice every breath he took contracted and relaxed his extremely muscled, caramel-colored frame. Each movement caused a chain reaction to another that made him look like he was rippling like a drop of water in a bath.

Oh, yes, Lucy thought, that sounds wonderful. Running the back of her knuckles across his bicep and placing a tender kiss on his shoulder, Lucy gently rose to her feet and padded softly to the bathroom attached to the room. Once inside, she placed her long, golden hair into a high and messy bun before turning on the water in the huge stone tub. Bathing alone made her feel like she was in a small community bath. But put the giant man in her bed in the tub with her, and she understood why the tub was as large as it was.

Turning off the water, Lucy stepped in, sinking in up to her shoulders, breathing in the smell she had grown to love. Being surrounded by waters of the Grass Sea made her soul soar and her mind calm. She was certain there was nothing that couldn't be fixed by a bath in its waters. A small contented hum vibrated in her throat as she leaned her head back against the polished stone tub's edge. She opened her eyes just in time to see the man swing his legs over the tub and join her. Turning to press her back into his broad chest, Lucy smiled.

"I hate that you're a morning person," he grumbled softly into her neck as he nuzzled it. She laughed softly. "Someone has to lure you out of bed," she answered, letting her head fall to expose her neck to his affections. His large hand slid down her side under the water and settled on her hip, tracing small patterns there while the other traced the tan lines of her bikini on her shoulder with his fingertips. "Or we could just stay in bed," he whispered against the shell of her ear, nipping it lightly. She loved the way his sharpened canines felt as they grazed her skin; It was a thrill every time.

Her hand came out of the water and tangled in the blue-black hair at the base of his neck. She looked up into his midnight-blue eyes and felt her breath catch. He still took her breath away. Leaning up and pulling him to her, she slanted her mouth over his. "But I love mornings like this," she whispered against his lips, feeling his hand on her hip slide toward the apex of her thighs.

* * *

"I'm going to rip that lion's tongue from his head with my bare hands!" Cassiopeia was seething, her hands forming claw shapes and shaking at her shoulder height. She couldn't believe he had walked out of the room where he had been told to keep his damn mouth shut just to walk into another and spill his guts. Andromeda sighed, watching her furious mother pace the room. "Mother," she started before being cut off by another outburst. "And he had the nerve, the NERVE, to try to say that it didn't go against the order from the All-Mother HERSELF!" The woman barked a dry, harsh laugh. "' I didn't sway her choice, I just sped things along. Our Princess would have come to it on her own,'" she mocked Leo's voice.

"Mother, he is right," Andromeda said softly, watching her mother's pacing halt. Cassiopeia leveled a glare at her daughter. "And how do you figure?" she asked, not bothering to keep the venom out of her voice. With another soft sigh, Andromeda met her mother's glare. "He knows the Starbringer better than perhaps anyone but her mate. She would have realized that she could choose her fate eventually." Watching her mother wind up for what appeared to be a nasty retort, she held up her delicate hands. "I'm not saying what he did was right or even excusable, but if Leo, knowing the risk of disobeying the All-Mother, made the choice to talk to her about it, then perhaps we should trust his judgment."

Cassiopeia's eyes softened and her lips parted in astonishment. For just a moment, she looked dumbfounded at her daughter. The moment was over far too soon. "WHAT?!" she shrieked and resumed her pacing, the fabric of her dress billowing furiously around her legs as her hair swung around her hips. Andromeda settled into the lounge she sat in. They were going to be here awhile.

* * *

Lucy stood in the kitchen with her hands on her hips and a scowl on her face. "I can't believe you thought that would be ok!" she shouted, her tone exasperated. She hated when he took the choice of anything out of her hands and he damn well knew it. But here he was saying he had done it again. "It's not like we hadn't talked about this. I thought you'd like the surprise," he snapped back. The broad dragon slayer in front of her was irritated. She could tell. And maybe she was overreacting a little, but dammit, he had done the one thing she had asked him not to from the very beginning. "Cris, it's not like I don't want to be here with you. You know I do, but you took away my choice. Why would I want that?" He leveled a hurt face at her. "I did it for you," he said. "And that's the problem," she answered.

Yes, she was going to apply for a work visa to Bosco. And yes, she wanted nothing more than to spend all of her time with him, but she had a life in Fiore. And she had responsibilities there. Lucy moved a hand from her hip and brought it to her forehead, running her index finger across it, trying to calm herself with an exhausted sigh. This was their first fight and she realized that she hated fighting with him. Cristoff felt the exhaustion through their bond and stood, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her into his chest. He hadn't wanted to upset her. He just thought he'd speed things along. "I only did it because I miss you," he said softly into her hair. She felt her anger evaporate. "I miss you too. I just need to feel like I get a say in this. These aren't what we are going to eat for breakfast decisions."

He smiled into her golden locks. "I know," he purred. "And I'm sorry that I didn't let you take care of it, me radila. I know you have things to take care of in Fiore as well." Her hands seemed to move on their own, wrapping around his body and moving in soft circles over his lower back. She couldn't stay mad at him. Not that she wanted to, but not it seemed she just wasn't capable. He was sorry. And she loved it when he spoke Boscan. And there may have been a chance that she overreacted more than a little. "I'm sorry too. For shouting. For not trusting that you are always looking out for me. I'm just so sorry," she said softly into his broad chest.

"Lucy, I love you. I miss you. I'm tired of seeing you board an airship. I don't think I can take anymore of it," he pleaded softly. Her arms tightened around him. She felt the same way. They had been mated and had spent six months together in Fiore adjusting to the bond, but Cristoff was a knight. And he had a country to serve. She knew this. She accepted this. But she also knew that the last six weeks of being apart more than together was putting a strain on them. "Me too," she replied, the emotion heavy in her voice. Cristoff pulled himself away from her body and took her small hands in his. "Then promise with me. It'll provide us more stability, legal rights that we don't have now. And we both know dad will be over the moon," a smile spread across his face as he spoke and danced in his eyes.

"Of course!" she shouted, flinging herself back into him, her mouth catching his in a searing kiss.

* * *

Zen felt the pulse of magic as she awoke. It was enough to make him feel like he had been punched in the chest. "Lucy," he whispered seconds before a bewildered-looking Arman jumped to his feet and ran out of the mess hall. Zen ran a finger over the cuff on his wrist, dampening his magic. His purple eyes saddened as he felt the familiar pull in his chest. "Go. And tell dad I'll be back," he said as he, Emi, and Xally all stood to follow their father.

He joined them as far as the stairwell and headed out onto the deck. The glass dome that covered the ship glistened in the light of the afternoon. "Excuse me," he asked, his voice stopping a crew member that had walked past him in her tracks. The woman met his eyes and felt the air hitch in her chest. "Yes?" she answered, trying to keep the tremor that was building in her body out of her voice. "Where are we?" he asked, ignoring her obvious reaction. Zen knew he still looked feral. They had given him clothes, he had bathed, but he knew that compared to the other people on the ship, he still looked like a caged animal. "We entered Boscan airspace an hour ago."

That was all he needed to hear. He nodded his thanks and moved to the glass door that led to the escape pods on the deck. In one fluid movement, he opened the door and pulled his shirt from over his head, discarding it onto the deck. His head leaned back as he closed his eyes and enjoyed the warmth of the sun on his skin. The air was warm and the wind whipped his long hair into a frenzy. Walking up to the rail, Zen placed his hands on the smooth wood and took a deep breath. The pull to go to his sister-in-law's side was still there, almost brutally pounding into his chest. His deft fingers made quick work of the clasp on the magic canceling cuff on his wrist and he took another energetic punch to the chest.

He needed distance. Peace.

Vaulting himself over the railing, he heard the scream of the crew member. Zen allowed himself to free fall for a few seconds, watching as the clouds streaked by him. Before he could make the decision, his wings snapped from his back, catching the updraft and pulling him back up to be level with the deck of the ship. He barely had time to register the woman clinging to the rail looking for him. With a faint smile to her, he beat his wings and was gone.

* * *

Lucy moaned wantonly. "Gods…. Oh, please." she gasped, feeling the spring her pelvis wind itself tighter. He slid himself into her again with a roll of his hips, causing her to pant harder as she looked up into the eyes that we locked with hers. His fingers dug into her hips and arched deliciously. The mark on her neck throbbed his emotions through her, telling her she was wanted, loved. His blue-black hair hung like a veil around their faces as her eyes slid closed, unable to keep them open any longer. With a soft moan, Cristoff latched onto the mating mark on her and sucked hard, sending pure ecstasy through her body, making her shudder from head to toe.

He felt amazing. His body wrapped around her, his hips grinding into her own. "Lucy," he moaned her name into her ear as he fell over the edge, spilling everything he was into her at once. His seed, his love, his desire. It was all too much. As he went rigid in her arms and thrust one last time into her, she felt the spring snap, sending white spots into her vision and making her cry out, his forehead lowered onto her shoulder. Their breathing was ragged and they both had a sheen of sweat over every inch of their bodies. But neither moved. She kept her arms around his body and he snuggled further into her neck. When she had found some semblance of normal breathing, Lucy rubbed her hands down his wide back and nibbled his ear. "I love you more than anything," she breathed. Her words were met with a purr. "I love you, too."

* * *

Kaleb hovered over the corner of the bed by her feet as their father burst into the room accompanied by his sisters. He noticed the absence of Zen curiously. _"Zen,"_ he asked through a private link. _"I needed some space."_ His brother replied simply. Kaleb could sense the joy in his mind. Arman dropped into the chair he had occupied for hours on end and took Lucy's hand into his own. With a gentle kiss to the back of it, he placed his other on her forehead. "Lucy can you hear me?" he asked softly. She turned her head to look at him, sorrow carved into her usually bright and beautiful features. Her eyes swam with tears, his eyes misting over at the sight. He knew what she was going through. She knew his pain. They felt the loss of Cristoff more than anyone else. "I know, dear girl," he said softly, his voice full of emotion, pulling her hand to his forehead for a moment before releasing her as a tear slid down her pale cheek.

He looked across the bed to see two more of his children crouched there, both pairs of similar eyes looking at him. Bix and Vander met his gaze, his jade eyes taking in the sight of them. His two most devious and entertaining children looked unsure, sad, and nearly desperate. There was no snark, no tongue wagging laughter. Just pain. A small sniffle caught his attention as Xally walked over and sat on the edge of the bed by her brothers. "We thought we'd lost you too," she said to the blonde, laying across her sister's legs.

Kaleb was unsure when Farron had arrived, but he was glad everyone was there. Well, almost. Farron wrapped his arms around a silently crying Emi and pulled her into his shoulder. _"Where is Zen?"_ Arman asked Kaleb through their link. _"Said he needed some space. He'll be back, Dad."_ Arman nodded. He wished that he could hold all of his children in his arms. But having almost everyone there had to be enough.

* * *

Her arms were wrapped around his chest and over his shoulder, holding her body as close to his as she could physically be. Another gut-wrenching sob shook her whole being as she felt the ripping sensation in her chest again. He was gone. She knew it. That tearing, searing pain in her chest was his soul leaving hers. It was gone. And she was alone. She looked for the bond but there was nothing. She looked around the street where they lay and there was nothing. Suddenly, everything went gold. The light was blinding and she felt a drain in her body catch up to her all at once, letting darkness swallow her.

* * *

Two days later, Vander looked down the golden head of the woman who had finally fallen asleep and nestled into his chest. He continued humming to her, running his thin fingers through the tips of her waist-length hair. It was a tuneless song that he had been humming for what felt like days. But he found it just as soothing as she did, so he would hum forever if that was what it took.

His sister-in-law snuggled closer under his right arm, the magic canceling cuff on her wrist digging into one of his ribs. His left side was taken by Emi, Xally laying in his lap. Bixy laid with his head on Emi's full hip and Zen, complete with magic canceling cuffs, sat propped up against the footboard of the king-sized bed. Vander couldn't help but feel a smile pull at his mouth. This was Zen's first time in the pile. Farron had been running himself ragged with the relocation of the freed slaves of Pergrande and had climbed into his bed, spooning Lucy.

He felt Zen's gaze on him as he kissed the crown of the blonde in his arm and pulled her closer. They had been close since they'd met, Vander spotting a kindred spirit in the Celestial mage. She was more than welcome in the family as far as he was concerned. And the fact that she had made his brother whole? Even better. Cristoff had deserved the love he had longed for. Real love. Mate levels of love. Vander locked eyes with his brother by the glow of the moon and the dim lacrima lighting in the room. He'd always preferred it to be darker in his room, even as a child.

Lucy felt a hand on the small of her back, guiding her to the chair in front of the casket. White, paper-thin fabric billowed around her legs as she took a deep breath of the air off the Grass Sea. Emzadi had gotten the traditional Boscan veil dress for her. It felt odd not wearing black. At her mother's funeral, she had worn a black plain, long sleeve dress that flowed to her knees. Black knee highs had been a stark contrast against her creamy white skin. And the shoes she had worn. Shiney and new with a little silver buckle.

But today, she stood the widow of a clan-born Boscan. A knight of Immaculate Light. A dragon slayer.

The cuff chained to her wedding band shone with a midnight blue stone, the gold glinting in the sunlight. This was unlike any funeral she had ever attended. His whole family sat in rows of high chairs in front of the casket, which was open. Each person that greeted them put a hand over their heart and kissed the family member before them, bowing slightly before moving onto the next. Lucy shifted slightly, making herself comfortable in the chair again, bringing her hand up to the crown of lilies that had been placed on her head. She had been told generally what to expect from a Boscan funeral by Arman two days before. But nothing could have properly prepared her.

She still couldn't believe the marked difference between Fiorian and Boscan funerals. The service had been led by both a priest and a maiden of Immaculate Light. There were colorful flowers everywhere, arches over doorways, strewn over tables, in vases on every flat surface. She could hardly believe her eyes when she had walked out of the back door of the Pradesh family home to find tents and flowers everywhere. The priest and maiden had placed bouquets of lilies into the hands of each of the family members, each attempting to keep themselves together. Of everyone, Arman and Xally were the only ones that couldn't contain their ragged sobs as they took their lilies, the rest of them resigning to tears shed silently, except for Zen and Lucy.

Lucy cried all her tears. They were gone. She had been starting to wonder if she was ever going to cry again, never mind smile. There were easily a thousand people who had come to see the family and bid a kind farewell to the man that had touched so many lives. Hundreds of White Sea members, his comrades and commanding officers in the knights alike, Cristoff's Uncle Tesso, at least a hundred people who he had helped over the years, saved, every known dragon slayer in Earthland. And of course, nearly all of Fairy Tail had come for Lucy. Laxus and Freed had stayed the whole time, their airship bound for Fiore with Evergreen's remains would be leaving at noon the following day. Bickslow had been adamant that he would not be accompanying them, Laxus and Freed understanding. He needed to be with his family and grieve the loss of his brother.

After what felt like days, the line of people greeting them had tapered off, much to Lucy's relief. The cuffed bands on her arms had been dampening her magic, made special for her by the local jeweler who had sold her and Cristoff their wedding bands. The woman behind the counter had bustled around to hug her tightly before taking the magic canceling cuffs that Lucy had brought with her and listened to the blonde's request. For Lucy Pradesh, anything, the woman had replied.

Sliding gracefully off the chair, Lucy touched Arman's arm, the man meeting her eyes and nodding. Her chocolate brown eyes were full of sorrow, much like everyone's eyes were. Every person that had come to say goodbye would miss the dragon slayer.

She walked slowly down the slope of the yard, relishing in the peace of being alone. She hadn't been alone for days, though she had never felt more alone surrounded by everyone that cared. All she heard was the gentle ebb and flow of the Grass Sea and the hiss of the small waves retreating from the sand on the shore. That was until the peace was broken by a deafening roar. The dragon slayers still under the tents returned the cry, their roars matching the pain in the first. Lucy let out the breath she had been holding without realizing it when the midnight blue scales of Nurem glinted in the dying sunlight, shining beautifully against the setting sun.

The Lunar Dragon landed and knocked Lucy gently over nuzzling her so intently. "Nurem," Lucy whispered, the growingly familiar sting of dry eyes where her heart wanted there to be tears straining her eyes. "Daughter," Nurem answered. The dragoness whimpered softly. Of all the creatures in Earthland, the only one that knew exactly what Lucy felt was Nurem. There was a part of her soul in her son, just as a part of Lucy's soul had been in him. And when he had left their plane, she had felt the loss of a piece of her just as intensely as Lucy had. The mother or father and the mate of a dragon slayer were the only ones that truly knew what it meant to lose them from their very souls.

Arman strode down the beach as Lucy stood and placed her forehead on the snout of the dragoness. Her face, for the first time since their arrival in Romell, looked at peace.

He greeted Nurem with familiarity and love and they stood together as Lucy waded into the Grass Sea, her veil dress plastering itself to her skin as it soaked up more and more of the water. _"Kaleb, send Vander down,"_ he asked his son through their family link, knowing Lucy would hear it too. _"I'm coming, Dad,"_ Vander replied, placing a hand over his heart and touching his forehead with the other, bowing to the casket. His final goodbye.

Bix stood up from his chair, passing the open palm of his hand over the casket of his brother without touching it, honoring a Lupen clan tradition. One did not touch the body of a dead Lupen clansman. Until the next plane, brother, he thought, walking toward Vander, his father and Nurem who had settled into holding one another in their grief and Cristoff's widow, kicking his shoes off as he walked, his siblings all following him at their own pace.

* * *

_A/N:_

_Holy moly this one fought me!_

_I cannot express enough gratitude for the folks reviewing (you got thanked via PM too), favoriting, and following. Truly. You are amazing._

_As I am writing this note, I'm sniffling. This chapter was hard to write not only because it fought my every bit of the way, but because it was emotional. I really hope I did boscan culture and the Pradesh family right with Boscan funerals. I'd love to get feedback on what you thought, dear reader._

_Hopefully, the next chapter of this will come a bit easier and it'll be something I'm more happy with. We'll see._

_WS: I am thrilled that you're enjoying the story. Leo is loyal, but wily. I've always loved that about the character. And there is nothing he wouldn't do for Lucy, even if it means the All-Mother's wrath. Thanks!_

_Nik_


	8. Healing and Dying

Still don't own Mashima's Fairy Tail or Desna's Pradeshes. Or anything else for that matter. I rent.

Reviews are always welcome and make me feel pretty. Enjoy. Note at the end.

* * *

The days drifted by, all of the Pradesh family settling into routines of being home and mourning Cristoff. Traditionally, there was a thirty-day mourning period in which the family of the deceased would all stay together, but Arman started to question that tradition halfway through. Though all of his children and Lucy were grown, Laxus returning and Presca, Vander's partner and begrudged best friend, joining them at the estate had sent the houseful of twenty-somethings into regression. And another was on an airship about to join them.

After the first week, most of his children had gone back to sleeping in their beds; Lucy, Vander, and Xally being the exception. Kaleb had taken up residence in his childhood room, working and managing the White Sea from there. Farron and Arman, similarly, were working from Arman's study with Joya on settling some new trade agreements via communications lacrimas and Kaleb's gift of lacrima tablets. Farron had been beside himself at the device, while Arman's heart swelled with pride at the inventions of his son. And while the Joyans understood their family's loss, their views on death and mourning made them unable to understand that everything was dropped for a month by the whole family.

Zen had thrown himself into his studies. Language and the basics of standard Boscan education he had missed. He worked religiously with a team of tutors and a Sudehpah, though he ran her ragged most of all. The Order had had to send someone who specialized in adults, mainly foreigners to replace the poor woman who wasn't prepared for the attention that Zen gave his studies. Even the well-seasoned woman seemed to have a hard time not forgetting herself in their sessions. The man, far from a novice, lacked the formal arts of pleasure that were taught to Boscan children in the hopes that they would appreciate their bodies, lover's bodies, and carry themselves as well rounded, sexual people. Stifling sexuality was as foreign to Boscans as open expression and embracing one's sexuality was to Fiorans. Zen took his Boscan education seriously to distraction. He became a man possessed.

Once Presca had arrived to stay three days after the funeral, Vander and Emzadi spent most of their time with him. Though it had taken months of groundwork, Presca and Emi had become lovers, frequent and uncommitted, though Lucy had been told otherwise by the dragon slayer. Presca was, Emi had explained, a potential mate. Emzadi adored the man. But years spent as a Bloodhunter for the Steel Council and the loss of his young wife and child as a teen had twisted and created the emotionally stunted man that she couldn't get enough of. Emi was determined to wear him down.

Xally had taken to studying most of her days, hell-bent to not fall behind in the pursuit of her medical degree. She was often spotted with Zen, the pair pouring over books. She seemed to have a calming effect on him and considered by everyone a good influence on education. Xally's mischievous streak, however, had also started to show the less uncomfortable they became around one another.

Bix and Laxus trained. Constantly. Without relent. When Arman had asked his son about the grueling schedule the two had established, Bickslow had hung his head for a moment before looking his father in the eye and replying, "Some things need to be processed through the body to help heal the soul." Arman felt tears well in his eyes. His son, young, reckless, and ultimately wild had somehow managed to add occasionally wise to his long list of qualities. He couldn't have been more proud. In his forties, Arman was no slouch of a man. He took care of his body with regular exercise, ate well thanks primarily to Mr. Ellan, the family's chef, cared for his mind and magic through daily meditation. But Bixy was right. Some things needed to be processed through to chip away the layers of pain and help the healing process start.

Arman wiped his arm across his forehead, finding it drenched in sweat. The fourth day that he joined Laxus and Bix in their morning routine of running, weight lifting, and in Bickslow and Arman's cases flexibility training, it disturbed him to find how out of shape he was. What disturbed him more was that he would go into the house, bathe and get to work, but his sons (he had years ago started to think of Laxus as his own, despite the man having his old friend Maki) would be at for hours. They had completed the morning routine, would eat, soak and be at it again.

The three men reached the stairs that led to a large back deck, where they could see Xally, Emi, and Presca standing, leaning on the rail waiting for them. "Having trouble there, old-timer?" Laxus asked gruffly, a sly smirk sliding onto his face. Arman leveled his jade gaze at the dragon slayer in front of him. Before he could answer, Bix interjected, "Aw c'mon, dad! It was just the warm-up to the warm-up." Bickslow's tongue lolled out of his mouth as his son grinned at him. His eyes narrowed. "I'm sure I'll recover fine," he said, his tone nothing short of pleasant. "But don't forget, boys, I have years of experience that all your training couldn't make up for. And I will gladly kick your asses."

Xally cackled softly as Emi howled with laughter. Even Presca had cracked a full smile, letting his stoicism go for a moment. Just as Laxus and Bix were about to respond, Vander appeared directly to Bix's left and tapped the underside of his chin with his index and middle fingers before disappearing into the shadows again. Bix yelped like a puppy as his teeth closed on his tongue. "Fucker!" he bellowed, tasting his blood faintly, as Vander appeared again on the deck right in front of the large double doors open to the house. He took the stairs two at a time, trying to close the distance between them. Vander cackled his wicked laugh again and bolted into the house, running down the gallery to the kitchen, Bix ten strides behind him the whole way.

Arman simply shook his head as his daughters broke into laughter again. Laxus and Presca looked at the girls, the screaming Shadowquip and Seith mages and then each other. "This place is a madhouse," Presca sighed. Arman placed a hand on his shoulder and grinned. "You have no idea."

* * *

Lucy heard screaming not uncommon she'd come to understand years ago. She crossed her ankles delicately and took another bite of the strawberry muffin in her hand as she turned the page in the book she read. Vander burst into the kitchen first, shouting over his shoulder, "Keep it up and you'll be picking glitter out of your all of a sudden luscious locks for a month!" as he bolted to the far side of the island and stopped, barely showing signs of having sprinted through the house. Mr. Ellan nudged him with his hip so that he could gain access to the second batch of muffins, pot holders on his hands. Vander complied and watched as Bix entered the room, barely registering the blonde, Mr. Elland or his breath, which he still hadn't entirely caught from the workout.

"Glitter bombs again? You're losing your edge, Van," he retorted, crouching slightly, moving his feet one over the other and side-stepping, stalking his brother around the island. He looked like a predator. When Vander dashed for the door, Bix caught him around the middle. The rules of the game were the same as they were when they were children. No magic, no permanent damage, no problems from dad. Bix tackled his brother to the ground, not hearing the book snap shut behind him and the coffee cup, freshly refilled, gently scrape the counter as Lucy lifted it.

Vander squirmed under the weight of Bix in the doorway, preparing to flip his brother. The pair suddenly stilled as one long, creamy white leg stepped over their tangle of limbs, followed by the other. They watched her walk down the gallery, golden hair swinging as she strode away and hooked the first right. The hall back to her room. The fight in them instantly gone, two pairs of crimson eyes locked with each other as they untangled themselves and sat back on their haunches. "How is she doing, Van?" Bickslow asked his brother, his breath starting to level out. With a sigh, Van scanned his brother's face. There was concern bordering on worry, understanding, and the slightest hint of pain. Vander had to remind himself that Bix was Lucy's family long before she had ever laid eyes on Cristoff.

"You know as much as I do. She still crops up in bed with me every night, Xally usually beats her to the punch though. And don't think I haven't noticed you sleeping on the couch either," he replied, his voice only taking a slightly joking tone as he confronted his brother for sneaking in and out and prodding him in the chest with one long finger. Bix shook his head, slightly exasperated. A glance at his brother's vibrant soul reassured him. He knew Van was going to be ok. What he had seen as a Bloodhunter couldn't have prepared him for what he had witnessed in Romell, but it helped take the edge off, and for that, Bix was grateful. And his soul was fine. Lucy's, on the other hand, was not. Bix started to climb to his feet, using his brother's head to stand, earning himself a small jab in the ribs and straightened his snug tank top. "I need to talk to dad," he muttered, jogging back toward their father, who was still on the deck.

* * *

"Kaleb, would you please join us in the study?" His father's request sounded in his mind as he scrolled through his agenda for the day. His lavender eyes closed briefly as he exhaled a long breath. He had been on edge for weeks. Being home with his family was helping to calm him, but he knew it wasn't a full solution. His cool exterior, his calculated decision making, and his overall calm had helped him get through the last few months, but as the war had raged on into its second year, he had found himself wearing down. He had his guild to run. He had people he was responsible for outside of his family. There were thousands of people that looked to his leadership every day. And yet, when his father wanted to see him, nothing else mattered to the platinum blonde. He'd know this little meeting was going to happen eventually. Frankly, he was surprised it hadn't already.

"On my way now," he replied, sliding off the couch in his childhood room, making a note to visit the bathhouse later. He could use a good soak and some distraction.

He traversed the halls of the home he grew up in at a leisurely pace. There hadn't been any urgency in his father's voice so he felt no need to rush. The air flowed through the house's open doors and windows. It was built to catch the breezes off the Grass Sea and the smell filled the whole house. It was soothing, welcoming, and part of what he loved most about being home. The large wooden doors that led to his father's study were half opened and inside he could see Bix leaning against the arm of the well worn and loved leather armchair his father occupied.

The position they were in brought a memory of them all as children screaming back. Bix standing where he was, leaning against the chair, grinning his trademark grin, his father sitting in it only looking slightly different than he did today, his hair completely black rather than streaked with occasional silver. Xally crying softly having punched Vander in the jaw, splaying his tiny body across the rug after he had glued her hair to her pillow the night before. It was his latest attack in a four sibling spree including Kaleb, Cristoff, and Farron. Bix, entertained that his brother was catching the heat, had done Kaleb's, not Vander.

A smile slid over his face. Being at home was making him think about how much all of them hadn't changed. Bix would still let Van take the fall, Van would still glue any of their hair to a pillow, and Xally would still punch any of them in the face while crying. Silently, he reached out to his brother. _"Did dad ever find out it was you who glued my hair to my pillow?"_ Bickslow blanched and his eyes grew round. _"I don't know what you're talking about"_ he returned. A small, low chuckle escaped Kaleb's lips as he shook his head. _"It was worth it to watch Xally punch him."_ His brother grinning confirmed that he agreed. Being home was doing him good.

"We're just waiting on Farron to find Vander," their father remarked and took a sip of coffee from the mug in his hand as Kaleb took a seat on the plush couch that faced his father. And as if on cue, Vander and Farron strode into the room, Farron closing the door behind them. There were runes in place on the door. Once it was closed, it was private.

None of his sons spoke. None of them knew for sure why they had been called into the study to begin with, except perhaps Bix, but even he didn't know why his father had gathered them all. He had just shared what he saw when he looked at Lucy's soul and was told not to go anywhere as his siblings were gathered.

Farron looked around. This wasn't a dreaded family meeting. If that were the case, everyone would have been summoned and someone would be yelling by now. No this was something different. This was… It hit him all at once. They were the group that had met right before Lucy had awoken on the ship. Three of the four of them were in the room when she had. "Shit," he breathed. "Oh yes, son," Arman said smoothly, smiling gently. "The four of you are going to tell me what you know. I've been letting it go, hoping you would come to me. But you've been keeping secrets. And now, you're going to fill me in." Their father took another sip of his coffee as they glanced around at one another.

"What the fuck did you say, Bixy?" Vander asked, resting one leg on the arm of the couch that Kaleb occupied as Farron took the other cushion. Bix's face immediately took on a look of offense. "I didn't say shit about that," he snapped, unable to keep the pissiness out of his voice. Kaleb sighed and shook his head. Now they couldn't deny anything. Not that Arman wouldn't have gotten it out of them, but they could have at least tried to keep it to themselves for a while longer.

Farron saw Kaleb's mind working. "No point," he muttered to him, a sigh of his own escaping his lips. "He'll get it out of us," Arman smirked into the rim of his mug, watching an S-class level Seith mage, a Boscan ambassador, a former Bloodhunter, and a Boscan Wizard Saint crack. The power of a father wielded well could break men that could stand up to hours of torture, knowing that some of them had. "Start at the beginning, please," he said evenly. His son's glance around at each other again. "Don't make me pick," Arman said after another sip.

* * *

Lucy walked into Cristoff's childhood room and gently set the book she had been reading on the small desk. The wood felt warm under her fingers, welcoming almost. Today was the day. Loke would be able to come to her today. She hadn't seen him since his declaration aboard the Boscan airship and two weeks was excruciating. She didn't call him every day, but she didn't like not having the option.

Virgo had appeared to explain what was going on after Lucy had tried to call him on the family's arrival back at the estate to no avail. "Big brother is being punished," the pink-haired maid had said, not bothering to hide the twinge of envy in her voice. "He said things he shouldn't have. Was told not to. And now, he is unavailable for two weeks of your time." Lucy had shrieked in response, "What?!" Virgo beamed at the blonde. "Punishment, Princess?"

Lucy heaved a sigh. "No, Virgo. What if I need him in a fight?" she asked, the thought hitting her all at once. As a mage, she could find herself in need of her lion spirit at any time. "The King has informed me that if you need big brother to defend you or fight by your side, he can be summoned. But only then and only if Leo is the only one that can help. This is his punishment, Princess. He cannot honor his commitment to you." Virgo knew that wasn't his only punishment, but thinking about what Leo got to enjoy while she was ignored made her want to pout. As she looked at her mistress, Virgo saw a pout slide across her face instead. "Seems like I'm being punished too."

Lucy picked up Leo's key that was sitting next to her book and rolled in in her fingers, feeling the warmth coming from it for the first time in two weeks. He was available. "Leo," she almost whispered, not bothering to slice the key through the air or chant. He would come. He would come if she had thought of his name. And just as she had expected, the orange-haired spirit appeared within her personal space, sweeping her up into a bone-cracking hug. She felt the sting of dry eyes again as she held him back. She had missed him furiously. And he appeared to have missed her too.

She wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, wrapped in each other's arms. But she knew that she wasn't ready to let go when he started to pull away. "Princess, you can let me go. I'm never going to allow that to happen again," he said gently into her hair. "You'd better not," she answered, her voice thick with emotion. She loosened her grip on him and they put space between them. He looked terrible. Bags under his eyes like he hadn't been able to rest the whole time he had been gone, his hair messy, not the intentional, controlled mess it normally was.

"I know you're going to want me to talk to you about everything, Lucy, but I need you to understand that I can't talk about it," he said softly, brushing her cheek. Gods, he had missed her. He had been made to watch her suffer, unable to do anything to comfort her. He hadn't even been able to attend her mate's funeral. Guilt wracked his being as he looked into the sad chocolate eyes that said more than anything, she had needed him. And he hadn't been able to be there for her. She stared back into his eyes. Her mind was running a million miles a second. He had a divine gag order and now knew what the consequences were for disobeying it. He never wanted to repeat the experience.

Her face twisted into anger. "So you can say something as simple as I don't have to die and then I don't see you for two weeks while Virgo tells me you're being punished. Then you turn up and tell me you can't answer the hundreds of questions I have." Her voice held all of her anger. But he knew it wasn't directed at him; he wasn't the root of the problem. Leo couldn't bring himself to speak, so he nodded. She grunted in frustration and turned away from him. "Is there anything you can tell me?" she asked, assuming the answer would be no.

"You will not be receiving celestial help with this," he answered slowly, choosing his words carefully. His statement to her that got him punished to begin with was enough to get her on the tracks, which had infuriated Cassiopeia and the others, including he could only assume the All-Mother herself. "I will be here to support you in any way that I can, but to make sure I can be here, I can't help you figure this out. You have to do it yourself." Leo watched her face fall. He knew she was lonely already. And now there was one more thing she was going to have to do without the loving support of her spirits.

Lucy propped her elbow onto the arm she wrapped under her bustline and tapped her chin with her finger. "I can't get celestial help," she muttered. But that left every human in Earthland on the table. Silence hung between them as her mind ticked. He couldn't help but smile softly. He was right. She'd figure everything she needed to out. Their Princess was brilliant. "I need to make a couple of calls. You look exhausted. Why don't you get some rest?" she said finally, reaching out and squeezing his hand. With a bow of his head and a barely audible, "I'm a thought away, Princess," he disappeared into a shower of gold.

* * *

Arman frowned into his mug, shifting the leg he had resting on his opposite knee. Kaleb had started with his private conversation with Lucy, why he'd roped his brothers in. The conversation they'd had with her the second time she'd 'spoken,' and finally what they had witnessed Leo say. He listened intently at Vander's deal and a thought strayed across his mind. He hadn't seen the lion spirit since the day she woke up, which was unlike him. He hadn't even attended Cristoff's funeral for Lucy. He suddenly felt frustrated with himself. Had he been so consumed with everything that had happened in the last couple weeks to not notice the absence of one of her favorite spirits? Apparently. Not that anyone but Arman himself would hold him accountable. He had taken the girl as one of his own, knowing both her parents were gone. She would always be his daughter.

"I want to make sure I understand," he said as his sons finished explaining. "Leo said that Lucy didn't have to die. That her fate wasn't tied to Cristoff's?" Everything he knew about dragon mating, and in turn dragon slayers, stated that mates and dragons were linked at the soul, an exchange between the two taking place when the mark was set. It bonded them forever. Not in just this life, but in every realm, in every space, always. "Well he didn't say the bit about fate, but essentially," Van answered him. The young men allowed their father to catch up. They had all talked briefly, quietly, over the last couple weeks, but had come to no conclusions, hadn't seen Leo, and hadn't been able to get Lucy to talk to them. She walked around the estate like a shell.

It had been eating at them all, bothering Bickslow and Vander the most. They were closer to her than Farron or Kaleb were and they knew better than anyone what she was going through, in Vander's case, and how she would handle things in Bix's. With a deep breath, Arman furrowed his brow. "Well, we all need to get on the same page. Everyone," he punctuated the last word of the sentence specifically. Vander groaned and Farron flinched. "Family meeting,' Arman declared. "I want everyone in the living room expressly after dinner tonight. And I mean everyone. Lucy, Laxus, Presca, everyone." The sweeping declaration made them all groan. Their family meetings all too often wound up with not-so-friendly sparring or no one speaking for a night.

Jade eyes moved over his sons. Family meetings were awful. But he needed everyone in one place getting all of their information pooled. Arman made a silent vow to make sure everyone was being taken care of. That was his role as their father when everything was said and done.

* * *

_A/N:_

_I did say it wouldn't take too long._

_Thanks to everyone reviewing, favoriting and following. It feels really nice to see how many people are enjoying this story or at least joining me in a cry once a week. XD_

_Special thanks to the folks leaving feedback and encouragement again and again. You know who you are._

_I know this was WAY more light than any of the other chapters, but in my experience, even in the worst of times, people (especially ones that are close and care for one another) usually find a way to make it their new normal, break the mood for the better, or some combination of the two._

_I'm a human possessed! Another chapter very, very soon._

_WS: Couldn't agree more. The loyalty and wily behaviour ready just perpetuate one another. Thanks for another really nice comment._

_Standard notice, it's me and Grammarly on editing this. If you see something, please say something. Constructive feedback is ALWAYS welcome. _


	9. The Same Page

Still don't own Mashima's Fairy Tail or Desna's Pradeshes. Or anything else for that matter. I rent.

Reviews are always welcome and make me feel pretty. Enjoy. Note at the end.

* * *

"I'm going to have to call you back," Lucy sighed, pulling her magic out of the communications lacrima. Another sharp knock on her door sounded and Lucy glared at it. Why couldn't they just leave her alone? "C'mon, Blondie, open up. You already missed dinner again." The last person she would have expected to be at her door was Laxus. Their interactions were limited since Romell. He was grieving Evergreen in his way and left her to her own devices. Granted, most of those devices were sitting and staring, trying to cry in futility, soaking in the tub, and reading. But she was doing what they wanted. She was eating at least once a day, she spoke to someone if they spoke to her first, and she left her room for more than an hour every day. Hell, she hadn't slept in the room that had been Cristoff's childhood bedroom since they'd come back.

"I already ate today. I'm not hungry. Leave me alone," she called back to the dragon slayer, her tone short. Lucy was dismayed by the fact that there weren't locks on the doors. None of them. There was nothing the Pradesh family hid from one another and there wasn't one among them that couldn't get into any room they wanted in. There was no reason for privacy theatrics like locks. With a growl, Laxus unceremoniously burst into the room, causing her to shriek in surprise. "I could have been naked!" she screamed at him, shooting to her feet from the lounge she was sitting on, nearly dropping her lacrima in the process. Papers covered the lounge, notes she had scribbled as quickly as possible.

His storm-colored eyes took in the sight. She was sitting in a nest of papers. "You aren't. Arman wants all of us in the living room. Someone had to be the asshole to get you and I got voted, so let's go." His eyes slid over the paper-littered lounge again and she noticed. She huffed audibly and tried to stand in front of her work. "If the shoe fits." In just a few strides, Lucy had closed the space between them as she put on the show of turning Laxus around. Being three times her size, he allowed it as she ushered him out of the room, closing the door behind her.

They walked silently down the breezy hallway, not bothering to small talk. Their relationship was direct, unassuming, and frankly, small talk just didn't fit with either of them. As they walked side by side, Lucy felt her anger dissipate. She couldn't stay mad at him. He'd said he drew the short straw. Did that mean they were all avoiding her? With a small shake of her head, Lucy put the thought aside. She'd probably be avoiding herself if she could. She understood their hesitance, but she wasn't ready to start trying to be normal again. And having something to throw herself into was proving to be a boon.

A delicate hand gently touched his forearm. Laxus moved his arm up around her shoulders, pulling the smaller blonde under his arm. She was family. She wasn't ok and this was how he told her he knew and understood. "Don't go getting soft on me, Blondie." He looked down at her in surprise before splitting into a grin. She hadn't made a joke yet, that he knew of. But when she looked up into his face and saw a mischievous grin, she felt reassured. She leaned into the hulking man and smiled softly, her eyes prickling again. Gods, she wished she could cry! Nothing came anymore; just the stinging of pins and needles that didn't exist.

Before they reached the end of the hall, Laxus pulled his arm back and straightened the coat that hung over his shoulders. Lucy was surprised by the sheer number of people as they turned into the large and open living room. The bookshelves that lined the only wall that windows didn't were packed full of tomes, just like every flat surface was packed with people; including Bix and Xally on the floor in front of the couch and Emi sitting half on Presca. The living room had been furnished to accommodate the eight people that had lived here when they were younger. But they were more than that now. All of the Pradesh family, Presca, Laxus, Lucy, and to her surprise, Freed. "Ah," Arman smiled as they entered the room. "There they are." He stood and adjusted the hem of his white linen shirt, gesturing for Lucy to take his place on the armchair. As the facilitator of this meeting, he would be standing.

"Welcome to the family meeting. For some of you this is the first time," he smiled lightly. "For most, it's not." The Pradesh siblings, except Zen, had been through a family meeting before. But why it left them looking so uncomfortable was beyond Lucy. A family meeting seemed like a productive and helpful tool. The grimace on Xally's face said otherwise, as did the uncomfortable fidgeting of Farron. "Before we start, some rules we'll all be following. Family meetings of the past have taught us that a few ground rules keep things more," Arman paused and titled his head slightly. "Civil." He'd chosen the word carefully; his jade eyes flashed in amusement.

"First, no magic allowed. That includes defensive magic, traveling, and I'm looking to Presca specifically, no magic means no energy tampering." His gaze scanned them all over, looking for understanding in each of their faces before continuing. "Second, if a fight starts, we pause, kick them outside, and let it get sorted out before continuing. No interfering with the fighting parties. They'll work it out." Lucy's eyes grew round at that. How often did things come to blows between them all?

"Last, but most certainly not least, all conversations must be held aloud," his eyes locked on Kaleb who rolled his eyes and muttered, "I know, dad." Lucy was confused. If these were all the rules did that mean that anything else was fair game? How had she been mated into the family for two and a half years and never actually attended one? The whole premise was suddenly making her very uncomfortable. She had a sinking feeling in her stomach. "Last thing before we begin. Not a rule, but a request. Lucy, would you please call Leo?" The sinking feeling in her gut was confirmed. This was about her. She blinked at her father-in-law a few times before stammering and nodding. "Leo," she whispered, her eyes closing for the briefest of moments.

Golden light glowed in the corner of her eye as she felt a small tug on her magic and Leo appeared. "Princess, I didn't -" he was cut off by a dozen sets of eyes landing on him all at once. His skin crawled as Lucy smiled weakly at him. He'd been thrown into the deep end and his face said it all. The pieces had fallen into place. This family meeting was about her longevity or lack thereof. Arman gestured to the couch and chairs, which Leo looked at wearily before taking a seat leaning on the armrest of Lucy's chair.

Lucy wasn't entirely sure what was worse; the growing tension in the room, or the silence that hung in the air for more time than was comfortable. The only person that seemed wholly unaffected was Arman. Lucy couldn't help but wonder if he was enjoying making them all squirm. He seemed to be. "So let's get started," Arman broke the silence at last. "I'm sure you've figured it out by now. We're here to discuss what comes next for our dear Lucy, but first I need to get something off my chest." Arman paced back and forth a few steps as he gently bumped the side of his index finger over his lips. "Our family runs on trust. Because of this, we are stronger. Secrets, half-truths, and omissions will tear us apart if we don't quell this now. I know secrets are being kept about Lucy's condition and intentions. I won't stand for it anymore. Everyone starts being honest here and now, no exceptions."

"Who wants to go first?" Arman's smile reached his jade eyes, making them dance in the low evening sun. When he was met with silence, he sighed. "Alright, then I will. Let's make sure that everyone understands the problem before trying to find a solution. Everyone is clear on how dragon slayer mating goes, correct?" Everyone in the room glanced around and found a few mildly confused expressions. Lucy blushed a deep crimson. She was hoping that everyone had understood, no explanation needed, but it looked like she wasn't going to be that lucky. Thankfully, the person who spoke up with an explanation would leave out the most embarrassing bits of the process. "For males, it's as simple as find a potential mate, bed them, bite them, and push magic through the wound. For females, it's more… Complicated." She finished after a thoughtful pause. She felt Presca's eyes on her as a blush crawled up her neck, but she didn't turn to face him.

"Potential mate?" Zen asked, his purple gaze dropping down to his sister from his position on the back of the couch. "It's a soul bond, right? So how can a slayer have more than one mate?" Emi rolled her eyes. "Nothing is so definitive, or so Nurem taught us. What if my one and only mate were to die before I met him? Would I deserve to walk the world alone, never feeling the completeness that mating brings?" Lucy blinked at her. That had never occurred to her. Slayers had a choice in who they mated to. He had chosen her.

From her position in the room, Lucy could see Emzadi had Presca's attention. She thought she recognized the look of a man equally intrigued and terrified. Lucy made a mental note to up her wager with Vander on the two of them. Zen just blinked. With a sigh, Emzadi continued. "The mating is a soul bond. It transcends time, space, everything. Their souls are linked forever. But dragon magic has a physical effect too. Part of their souls are exchanged."

"That's why my chest always hurts now," Lucy said softly. "The piece of his soul that was in mine is gone?" She looked to Bickslow for confirmation. He nodded without looking at her, her eyes starting to sting again. Arman crossed his arms over his chest. "What do you see, Bix?" he asked. Bickslow's crimson eyes snapped up to his father and he looked like he wanted to be absorbed by the plush rug that was partially under the couch. Still, without looking at her, Bix answered, "Your soul has had a chunk ripped from it. It was the part that Cristoff left there. And now," Bix stopped looking down at his fingers that were laced together in his lap. It was obvious from his body language that he would probably give one of those fingers to not finish his sentence. Lucy implored him to look at her. Her chocolate eyes bored into him. Like he heard her silent pleas, Bix turned to look at her before continuing. "Now your soul is leaking. It's usually this vibrant, beautiful gold. But since Cristoff… well, it's smaller. Not as bright either. It's like it's leaking out and making it smaller, less stable." Lucy blinked stupidly at him. Her soul was leaking away? "Well what happens if too much leaks out?" she asked, her voice panicking.

Kaleb had sat back in the armchair he occupied. "I have a theory on that," he spoke up. "I think that's why mates and dragons don't make it without one another. They aren't aware that their souls are leaking out and die because of the drain. But you have the benefit of a Seith mage who can keep an eye on things." There was a pregnant silence. No one in the living room spoke or even seemed to breathe too deep. It was Xally who broke the silence. "That makes perfect sense. If the damage to her soul is what can take her life, then we need to find a way to stop it." Bix eyed his sister before replying, "You think I haven't tried? I've never seen a soul damaged like that. I don't think I can just fix it. I slowed it down a couple of weeks ago. It's way better than it was."

"Would another mate stop the leak?" Everyone looked slowly at Freed. His brow was furrowed in thought, looking to all of them for a possible answer. The sting in Lucy's eyes increased again. "Freed," Laxus grumbled softly. The seeming lack of sensitivity was unexpected, but then, Freed was a member of Fairy Tail. It wasn't like years of exposure to their guildmates' tactlessness couldn't have rubbed off on him. Lucy's eyes grew wide and round and she sat upright in her chair. She could hardly believe what she had heard. "He's been gone for two weeks and you expect me to find someone else?! I'll get right on that. Start dating tomorrow!" Her voice was shrill and furious. She couldn't begin to wrap her mind around what he'd said. Freed held his composure. "We are supposed to be discussing options of keeping you alive, correct? Why dismiss any possibility?" She saw Leo shift uncomfortably again. "What?" she snapped at him, leveling a gaze full of rage on one of her favorite people, spirit or human alike.

"Nothing," he muttered, shaking his head lightly. She narrowed her eyes at him. "It's one of the things you can't talk about isn't it?" Leo grimaced. He hated that he couldn't tell her everything he knew, help her in every way he could, but she knew what it would mean for him to do so. She'd missed him terribly the two weeks he was being punished. "Well, we're gonna need to come back to that. If she were to mate with someone else, it couldn't be a dragon slayer," Laxus joined the conversation, eyeing Leo suspiciously. "Even if her soul wasn't already damaged, potential mates don't overlap with us. Keeps us from tearing each other apart over mates." He folded his arms across his massive chest. "But there are other types of magic that create soul bonds," Farron added. His face betrayed his comment. He hated this conversation and he was doing little to hide it.

Lucy stared at them all. She still couldn't process that they were talking about replacing her soul bond with another. There were no words for her onslaught of feelings. Arman looked curiously at his son. "What are you suggesting?" he asked. Farron looked away, a look close to shame crossing his face. "Me," Zen said simply, his baritone creating silence again. Lucy knew that the past three weeks had been spent buried in books for Zen. He'd been learning everything that he could about his magic. "That's why we can't stand to be around each other. The pull to bond or mate. I don't think it will ever let up. But it could save you." He sighed. He hated the bond and mate aspect of his magic.

Before he could continue, Lucy found her voice. "Out of the question," she stated firmly. Her eyes met his startled gaze. "I won't ever ask you to become a slave to a bond you don't want to be a part of and I won't let anyone else either." Her doe-like eyes shone fiercely. She would not entertain the idea of turning the now free man who'd spent his life in the gladiator pits as a slave become a slave again. "So are you going to suggest something or just continue shooting everything down?" Presca's voice was even, slightly bored sounding. "I'm not dismissing everything," Lucy said indignantly. But then she had been. A new mate, Zen, all of it.

"There is an option that no one has brought up." Everyone's attention moved to Bickslow. Kaleb put a large hand on Bickslow's shoulder a small gesture of comfort. He didn't look up from his lap, looking pained to even be thinking what he was. "Well?" Arman asked gently. "We could let nature take its course." There were grunts of disapproval, outright objections, and even a gasp and swat on the arm from Xally. "You're saying we just let her die?" Tears rose in Xally's eyes as she stared harshly at her brother. "How could you even suggest it?" As odd as it felt to be discussing her death, Lucy felt good at that moment. Bickslow seemed to be the only person that saw what she wanted. He didn't seem to like it, but he at least respected it.

"Are you honestly saying that we should let her die?" Emzadi bristled at the thought. But hearing Bix say it aloud was more than just irritating, it was disturbing. "I'm saying ultimately, it's not our choice and that if we're going to be discussing all the possibilities, then we need to explore everything." Arman looked at his son curiously. "What happened to never say die, you asshole?" Laxus growled at him. Bix looked up at him angrily. "I'm not suggesting we off her ourselves, dick. I'm just saying that if this is what she wants are you going to force her to live?" The two powerhouse men glared at one another. Tensions were rising in the room again. Lucy watched as Presca's hand slid onto Emi's knee, the contact seemed to calm her.

Vander looked mildly entertained as Arman sighed. "Take it outside."

"We're good," Laxus grunted, eyeing Bix. He was his best friend. He hardly ever questioned what Laxus had to say on jobs and usually in their day-to-day. But Bix's challenge made an uneasy feeling bubble in his chest. Lucy watched the two men, a little taken aback. Merlot eyes had been watching, amused, to no end. Watching Bix and Laxus go at it over Lucy would have been enough fodder for weeks of torment. Alas, they pulled their shit together. So Vander finally spoke up, "Bix is right. This isn't our decision to make. Granted, I'd rather not see her go, but it's not our choice either." Vander had been forced to do so much in his life. Killing more often than not and he knew exactly what it was like to have one's agency taken away. He wouldn't allow that to happen to her. Bix looked grateful for the backup. And Lucy couldn't help but smile. There was a reason they were her favorite brothers-in-law. They always had her back, no matter what.

At that moment, Lucy wanted to simultaneously hug them and cry, the stinging in her eyes escalating again. But did she know what she wanted? There was a literal, gaping hole in her soul where Cristoff had been. There was a piece of her missing. And the thought hit her all at once. "A part of me died that night," she said aloud. Confused looks shot in her direction. "Think about it. A part of my soul was attached to his. And when he…" she couldn't bring herself to say aloud that he had died. Leo reached over and took her hand, giving her encouragement to keep explaining. "He took it and the part of him in me with him." Vander's merlot eyes locked on Leo, who was still holding Lucy's hand.

"You're being too quiet," he said, his tone demanding. The lion spirit looked up to meet his gaze. "You're the one who said she could survive this. Time for you to speak up." Leo looked away, a flush spreading over his cheeks. "He can't." It was Lucy that answered him. "He was punished last time for saying too much." Vander's jaw fell open. "He hardly said anything!" A pout formed on the Shadowquip's face. "You mean to tell me that he drops shit like that and can't be any more helpful!?" Presca's voice couldn't hide his aggravation. "For the record, avoid Celestial punishment if you can. Virgo makes it sound like fun and games, but it's not. And I didn't say she could survive." Leo released Lucy's hand and squared his jaw. "I said she didn't have to die."

Suddenly he saw wheels turning. All of them were considering his distinction. Some were trying harder than others. Presca had remained passive, not bothering. He agreed with Bix and Van. The choice was going to be hers. And he knew as well as Vander did what kind of path one could end up when forced into something. The last thing they needed was a cornered, angry Celestial Mage.

"There's no difference," Laxus grunted, breaking the silence. "Yes, there is," Freed replied after a few more moments of the quiet that had settled back into the room. "Saying she could survive this implies that there is a passive way to go about things. It also suggests that she could heal naturally, which we know isn't how this works." He placed his index fingertip on his bottom lip before continuing. "Saying that she doesn't have to die implies that there is an active path that she can take to live." Lucy watched as Leo lit up, elated that someone had put it together. "Freed," he said softly, his voice breathy. "I could kiss you." Freed's face turned beet red and he sputtered.

Arman didn't bother to hide the amusement in his eyes or voice. "Take it outside."

Freed nearly collapsed as Loke shrugged, an amused look in his eyes. A collective chuckle went through the room, skipping Laxus who grunted and Bix who spared just a smirk. Lucy side-eyed him smiling slightly. It wasn't like Loke wouldn't. She looked over to Vander who had a wicked smile on his face. He was thinking about a betting pool, no doubt. Those seemed to be his favorite games, betting on who would hook up.

"Are we done here?" Kaleb asked, bringing the conversation back to Lucy's mortality. "Not quite yet," Arman answered. He looked around the room at his children and their friends. Lucy couldn't help but wonder what could be left to discuss. "It seems pretty clear what this accomplished," she started but was cut off. "How about you fill us in on the pile of papers you were nesting in." Laxus looked at her face as it fell. "You don't want to go anywhere, do you, Blondie?"

Lucy's face flushed. She hadn't thought about bringing that up, nor did she intend on answering such a blunt question. She still didn't know exactly what she wanted. Time to level with everyone, she thought. With a deep breath in and out, Lucy explained. "I made a couple of calls earlier. Mainly to Levy and Gajeel. I wanted to know as much as I could about being mated. After Loke told me I didn't have to die, I started thinking about what living would look like. Who better to talk to about being mated than another mated pair? I also spoke with Sting and Rogue."

Freed flushed again. "They aren't mated though?" he said, trying to keep his face hidden behind his bangs. Lucy laughed lightly as Bickslow lolled his tongue and belly laughed. "A little they are." Laxus grinned in response as Lucy rolled her eyes and smiled, giving the Seith mage a playful, pointed look. "They're not. But they spent a lot more time with Wessilogia and Skiadrum. I hoped maybe they'd have some insight, but they didn't." The twin dragon slayers had been less than helpful, though they had passed on their condolences from Sabertooth. Lucy knew the news was getting around to the guilds that Lucy's mate had died and a call to the pair of them was only going to make sure word got around faster. Sting could be a terrible gossip on top of being a loudmouth.

"So it didn't pan out?" Kaleb asked. He seemed relieved they had had this family meeting. Lucy could tell he was happy to see some fight back in her, no matter how undecided she was. Lucy shook her head. "No. Nobody knew anything about anything other than mated pairs die without each other." Arman frowned a little. He had to put his trust in the Celestial Realm. "So we start digging," he declared, sweeping the room with his jade-colored eyes again. "We have the guild library in White Sea at our disposal. The Boscan Archives should be easy enough to get into as well. And I'll speak to Dean Kalperden at the Academe Celestine and Farron and I will reach out to our contacts in Joya and Minstrel." Looking at Kaleb, Arman nodded. Lucy was in awe as she watched them all coordinate and start dividing work. "I'll reach out to gramps. The old man knows everyone in Fiore. We're going to need to get you into the Fiorian archives, Freed." The emerald hair man beamed at his favorite person. Laxus nodded to him, a beaming smile spread over the rune mage's face. He'd been dying to get in there for years.

Lucy felt emotion well in her chest. She couldn't believe just how fortunate she was to have so many people that cared if she lived or died. It didn't assuage her loneliness, but it did feel good. When it was apparent that the family meeting was wrapping up, Leo bent and kissed the top of Lucy's head. "Call me if you need me," he whispered into her hair. His eyes shifted over the room again, as if searching for something before disappearing in a shower of golden light. Her chocolate brown eyes scanned the room again. What was he looking at, she wondered to herself. Such a weirdo, she concluded, standing and making her way toward the double doors that led to the deck. Walking through the crowded living room rather than around, Lucy made her way out behind the back of the couch. She ran her fingertips over Laxus' shoulder as she passed him. She owed him a thank you when there wasn't an audience.

On her way onto the deck, she heard Arman crow, "That was the best family meeting we've ever had. Not a single blow!" She smiled lightly and chuckled, her bare feet meeting the smooth wood of the deck. She slowly walked over to the rail and leaned on it, watching the sun make its final descent. "Looks like I've got a decision to make," she muttered to herself. "And a big one at that," a smooth baritone answered.

* * *

One of two... see you there.


	10. Choices To Be Made

Still don't own Mashima's Fairy Tail or Desna's Pradeshes. Or anything else for that matter. I rent.

Reviews are always welcome and make me feel pretty. Enjoy. Note at the end.

* * *

She turned around idly, knowing who was coming. She felt him. Zen looked at her and she felt the breath leave her chest. She hated the pull as much as he seemed to. "You think we'll ever be able to have a normal conversation?" she asked tilting her head to the side and sighing. "You mean like normal people who aren't bound by magic to try to make 500 babies over centuries?" Lucy laughed outright. It was the first time since Romell.

"Nah," he answered, smiling himself. "I appreciate what you said there, about not bonding or mating." His mahogany hair shone in the last rays of the sun, the blonde streaks glimmering gold. Lucy's face became very serious as she considered what he said. "It would be easy. I could tell you to drop trou and see if a new mate would work," she shrugged, "But no one deserves that. Don't you want a chance to have a normal life with a normal woman that isn't going to try to make 500 magical babies?" Her face broke into a smile again. He chuckled with her and leaned on the rail next to her. "Did you know," he started, watching the sunset and the sea begin to glow. "My magic. It's Archangel, yes, but there are subsets?"

Lucy leaned into the railing further, intrigued. "No."

"As you know, my wings are black. They call me The Evening Star. This time of day feels like home for me." Lucy turned her body back toward the house and smiled lightly. "I always feel more like me at night, especially under the stars." He looked out over the sea. "Me too."

* * *

Lucy rolled over and touched Horilogium's key. 2:30 in the morning. She sighed. She was starting to get used to not sleeping. The bed felt huge without him in it and she couldn't seem to get comfortable. She had been crawling in bed with Vander for the past three weeks and could tell the poor man needed a break, even though he'd never say it to her. It wasn't his job to take care of her. It wasn't any of their jobs. They were grieving just as much as she was and she had been leaning too heavily on Vander and Bix for comfort when she could stand it.

With a frustrated grunt, Lucy swung her legs over the side of the bed, sitting up and hanging her head. She needed to eat. The thought of sitting at the table without Cristoff in his usual place, though a place was set, dampened her desire to eat immediately. She understood why Arman did it. And he had done it for years for Zen. But Lucy just couldn't stomach it yet.

She padded lightly down the hallway, acutely aware of two dragon slayers trying to sleep on the same hall as her room, her lavender sleep dress swaying in the breeze that the hall caught. The hem brushed her upper thighs and the breeze felt great on her skin, the scent of the Grass Sea filling the whole house. There was something truly magical about the estate at night.

She turned into the now empty living room, noting how much larger it looked when there weren't a dozen people filling every available seat and then some. Her fingertips trailed along the stucco walls, meeting bookcases and touching every spine on a shelf as she walked by. She loved the feel of the books on her skin. It was familiar and safe. As she rounded the corner into the open kitchen, she hadn't been expecting anyone else, but the door to the fridge stood open, half a person sticking out of it. She approached the island in the center of the room and slipped onto a barstool at the counter, waiting her turn.

The man waist-deep in the fridge had found his prize and pulled out with his arms full of meats, cheeses, vegetables, and condiment jars. Lucy's mouth watered at the thought of a sandwich. Kicking the door closed, Bix laid everything out on the counter directly to the left of the fridge, still unaware that Lucy was sitting, watching him. "Any chance you'd make me one?" she asked, smiling faintly as the Seith mage nearly jumped out of his skin. Bix whipped around to face her, a jar of mustard still in his hand, eyes glowing green faintly before settling back to their normal crimson. His empty hand shot to his chest over his heart in surprise.

"Fuck, Cosplayer! You nearly gave me a heart attack," he chastised her softly, keeping his voice as low as possible. "You sneak around much at night?" His eyes held the smile as he pouted his dismay at being caught off guard. Bix knew she's been having trouble sleeping just like he had. He kicked himself silently for doing it again. He had the bad habit of totally dropping his guard at home. And even if the bad guys of the world wouldn't be popping up on the back deck any time soon thanks to protection barriers around his family home, Vander and Xally were both in the house and could be more dangerous than any baddie that had the misfortune of trying to get into the estate. "Only into the kitchen and to find someone to cuddle. Sleeping alone isn't happening," she answered bluntly, pulling him out of his thoughts. She tucked a piece of golden hair behind her ear and frowned slightly at her admission.

He didn't bother answering her original question. As he pulled ingredients over to the island, she noticed he pulled out six slices of bread. Guess that answered that. He leveled a look at her that showed how concerned he was. They had become close during the disbandment of Fairy Tail after Tartaros, Lucy joining the Thunder Legion after her team had just up and walked away. The thought still left Bix with a little well of anger in his chest. Some fucking friends they'd been. He shook his head slightly and cleared his mind of it. Nasty thoughts of Natsu, Gray, and Erza did nothing for them now.

Bickslow grabbed a pan from the hanging rack above the island and olive oil from the counter, setting them both near the stove. Turning a knob, he heard the oven click on. He could sandwich with the best, even Mr. Ellan. Making quick work of a bell pepper, an onion, and garlic, Bix oiled the pan and tossed in the veggies. Lucy propped her hand on her chin and watched him in silence. He moved through the kitchen like an expert and it still slightly amused her that he could cook. She would have never guessed. "Bixy?" she said, gaining his attention as he stirred the pepper mix in the pan by swirling it. "'Sup, Cosplayer?" he asked, looking over his shoulder and setting the pan back on the stove. Two minutes, he estimated to himself.

"How are you doing?"

He turned back to the pan, watching the oil pop. How was he doing? He wasn't sure he wanted to lay out how he was doing on her. "You've got enough of your own shit," he answered trying to dodge the question. She frowned at his back. "Yeah, well, we've all got our own shit. How are you doing?" she asked again. A long silence hung between them, punctuated only by the sound of cooking vegetables. They'd played this game before, she'd ask, he'd dodge, she'd ask again, wait for an answer and he'd spill his guts. They both knew how this worked. But instead of answering right away, he busied himself with making the rest of their sandwiches. He could feel her eyes on him. It made him squirm under the surface. He didn't want to pour it all out like he always did. He wanted to process without laying it on her.

He heard her shift on the stool as she continued to wait. This was probably the longest he'd ever been able to resist spilling everything, but she wasn't ready to back down. Sleep wasn't going to happen, so she had all night. He put the sandwiched together in silence and placed them on a pan, sliding them into the oven. He turned to face her finally, leaning himself onto the counter's edge.

"Not great," he answered finally, simply and honestly, his head hanging a little, not wanting to look at her. He knew what he'd find. Big brown eyes shining with worry and compassion. He also knew that if he looked at her, he was fucked. He'd be gutted and spilling everything he'd been carrying for the better part of the last month all over her and the counter between them. "I don't think I've said it, but I'm sorry about Ever," she said, her voice little more than a whisper. He snapped up to face her full on. "I know I've been so selfish the last few weeks. Everyone is hurting and I've been acting like I'm the only one. I'm really sorry, Bixy. I'm sorry I haven't been there for you like you've been for me." Her voice was thickened with emotion, her eyes stinging as she spoke.

Bix felt like he could have been knocked over with a feather. She was apologizing for not being there for him? "What?!" he asked, feeling dumb. "Lu, everyone is doing the best they can right now." He looked at her face, drawn and filled with pain. He didn't call her Cosplayer. He was serious, offering her absolution for her selfishness. She couldn't help but feel like she had done wrong by him and the rest of their family. And the guilt still gnawed at her. He turned back to the oven as soon as he started to smell the food, knowing they would be ready.

The smell hit her as soon as the oven opened and her stomach growled audibly. He smirked as he set the pan down, pulling them off with his bare hands. She remembered asking him about that once, why he was able to do that. He'd explained that the callouses on his hands and years of touching hot things stupidly had killed the nerve endings in his fingers, or at least desensitized them. She took the plate he handed her. "Want to talk?" she asked, taking her first bite. Gods, she loved when Bix cooked. He could make an old shoe taste delicious, she was certain of it.

He took a bite of his own, happy with the way they'd turned out. Swallowing with a shrug, he answered, "Not sure there's much to talk about." The look she leveled at him over her food made him sigh. "I miss them. All the time. I keep waiting for Evergreen to come screeching through the house, threatening Vander's balls. I keep waiting for Cris to walk up from the beach and scoop you over his shoulder hauling you off to your bedroom. I just haven't gotten used to them not being here." His voice tapered off to a whisper as he finished.

His answer floored her. Lucy always knew that she knew a different Bix than most. He wasn't the reckless loudmouth perv everyone thought he was. Well, he was, but he was so much more. He was a fiercely loyal friend, strangely wise from time to time, and an excellent cook just to scratch the surface. She also knew that, while he wasn't going to show it to pretty much anyone, he had this insane capability of being vulnerable and making it seem like it was nothing. Cristoff was the teddy of the family, but Bix was an extremely close second if you could get past the pervy hot mess he showed the world.

She took another bite and nodded. "I understand that," she muttered. "I figured," he answered. They sat for a few minutes, finishing their food. In the time it took her to eat one, both his sandwiches were gone. She slid off the stool and straightened down her nightdress before taking his plate with her own. "Thank you," she smiled. Her smile didn't quite extend to her eyes like it normally did, but it was a start as far as he was concerned. She walked over to the sink and did the dishes, making quick work of them. Mr. Ellan didn't have a problem with a capable individual using his kitchen, but dirty dishes in his sink were unacceptable. The list of acceptable cooks was short and excluded his father and Farron in particular. "Any time, Cosplayer." He smiled at her, keeping his tongue in his head. It was a real smile. "So, now what? Bed?" She scoffed. "I've decided to give Vander the night off. I don't think I'll be sleeping tonight. Probably going to keep reading my way through your father's study." She leaned on the counter, pushing her hips back as he leaned forward on his elbows. "What are you going to do?" he asked softly, his crimson eyes betraying his worry. She paused. He knew he'd done the right thing with everyone, saying it was her choice. And he firmly believed that it was. Being a Seith mage gave a man healthy respect for free will and agency. Not to mention being raised Boscan. Freedom was a massive part of their culture. But it didn't scare him any less. She was family and that meant everything to Bickslow.

Lucy met his gaze. She had been thinking about that while she wasn't sleeping. "Consensus says I'm going to make it," she smiled weakly. His face didn't change. No smile. Not even a glint of one in his eyes. She breathed deep and looked down at her hands. "It would be so easy to just say it's fate. To just roll over and let my soul leak away." He listened, trying not to show how angry that made him. If that's what she chose, he didn't have a leg to stand on to say otherwise. But he'd be the only one that would have to watch it happen. "I don't know," she sighed. "There's a part of me that wants to just let it happen. But there's a bigger part of me that wants to tell fate to eat a dick."

Bix smiled at that. Not terribly long ago, it would have floored him to have heard Lucy Heartfilia say 'eat a dick,' but now it was pretty commonplace to hear the Light of Fairy Tail say far worse. Lucy Pradesh was a whole nother animal. He blamed Vander and Emi. One that he had found he enjoyed far more than Lucky Lucy. She was feisty, fun, and most of the time easy to get along with. But he'd found he enjoyed her company no matter what.

"For what it's worth, I'm in camp 'eat a dick,' Lu," he grinned. She leaned up off the counter and smiled back. "You've been spending too much time alone," he declared. "No reading tonight. Tonight we watch a movie." His over exaggerated pomp made her giggle softly. It was music to his ears. "Fine. But I pick what it is. You can't be trusted."

* * *

The lacrimavision screen had long since given up on them. The first rays of sunlight were starting to pour through the windows, creating a red and orange glow. Arman rose like normal, heading to the kitchen for a morning cup of coffee. Strolling through the hall in his running clothes, he turned into the living room and smiled at the sight.

Lucy was asleep, curled up, her knees to her chest holding an arm that looked deeply tanned in the orange glow of sunrise and next to her creamy white skin. She purred what sounded like the smallest of snores and the hand she was holding squeezed hers lightly in its sleep. Bix had his head resting on her waist, cuddled partially behind her. One arm was snaked underneath her, no doubt as asleep as its owner, and the other being snuggled into the chest of the sleeping blonde. His long legs stretched out to the other end of the couch.

Arman couldn't help but chuckle softly as he quietly made his way into the kitchen, finding Mr. Ellan with a hot cup of coffee waiting. "I'm guessing they've been there all night?" he asked, sipping on his mug. Gods, was there a more satisfying thing first thing in the morning? Mr. Ellan shrugged. "They made a snack at the very least. One of the peppers is gone, I'm missing half an onion, and a clove of garlic. Not to mention meats and cheeses. I'm guessing the culprit was Bix." He sipped on his cup of very blonde coffee.

"Not the first time," Arman grinned. Bix was a damn fine cook and he only got the chance at home when Mr. Ellan was home asleep. "Vander should be in a better mood, though, today," he remarked to his old friend. "He may have slept alone last night." Mr. Ellan made a slightly pained face. "I wouldn't count on it." Arman looked at him, curiosity shining in his eyes. "Xally, according to Isla."

Arman laughed quietly. Isla Ellan was known to check on everyone when she arrived. If she found an empty room, she began her morning tasks. No one slept anywhere without her knowing it. Oliver and Isla Ellan had been with them for the better part of the last twenty years and Arman valued their friendship and loyalty. They had both had a hand in raising his crazy bunch of children. He was certain he couldn't have pulled it off without them.

"Anyone else displaced?" Oliver grinned at his old friend. Ah, he thought, someone was not displaced so much as right where they ought to be. "The guest room that Presca has been occupying is empty… for the fifth night in a row." Arman grinned back. He'd always liked Presca. "I'm going to have to up my wager in Van's pool."

Arman raised an eyebrow as Oliver looked at him and grinned wider. "As am I."

* * *

_A/N:_

_So if you read the last note, you know this is two of two. _

_All of this was written for one chapter. And then I looked at how many pages of a Google Doc it was and nearly had a heart attack. I had a couple of criteria for the family meeting. The first was I didn't want the family meeting to be a chapter by itself without giving some story for afterward. Second, I wanted both chapters completed before I posted them. I am vehemently opposed to cliffhangers._

_So chapter nine was longer, this one is short than normal. It does balance out reading-wise._

_Thank you so, so very much to those of you reviewing, favoriting, and following. It truly means so much to me. I'm going to call out those of you reviewing regularly and blow a special kiss your way. You know who you are._

_One more thing. asked a great question and I wanted to clear it up here. Here is what I shared with Ashooka. "Cassiopeia is NOT the All-Mother. She's been in the celestial game for thousands of years and has found herself on the wrong side of the All-Mother's ire before. Think of it as more of having a healthy fear and a shitty attitude combination." Great question!_

_I don't anticipate needing to take any kind of break from this even after this double upload. So I'll see you soon! _

_Nik_


	11. Help While I'm Alive

Still don't own Mashima's Fairy Tail or Desna's Pradeshes. Or anything else for that matter. I rent.

Reviews are always welcome and make me feel pretty. Enjoy. Note at the end.

* * *

Feeling a weight on her body, Lucy started to wake. As she moved slightly, she felt arms wrap around her body, trying to hold her still. The smell was familiar even welcome, like cinnamon and sandalwood. Her eyes fluttered open, closing again before she gave it another try. Looking at her hip, which was being used as a pillow, a small smile crossed her face. "Bixy," she said softly, carding her fingers through his hair. It wasn't the first time they had woken up like this, and it almost certainly wouldn't be the last. Movie night usually ended up with the pair snuggled up on the couch, though previously, their pile had included Cristoff and at least one member of the Thunder Legion.

He grunted at his name. "Bixy c'mon, I have to go to the bathroom," she said a little louder, a small whine in her voice. "No." His answer was muffled into her side, reminding her of a petulant child. And how he'd managed to wrap himself around her tighter was beyond her. The smell of coffee wafted from the kitchen, making her mouth water and her stomach growl. She had basic human needs to address. She took a small chunk of blue hair and threaded it through her fingers. "Move, or I'm going to have Cancer come and cut your hair into a pink bob." The blonde gasped as he sat bolt upright, rocking her on the couch cushion and making her seriously doubt her bladder. "You wouldn't," he said, eyeing her groggily.

"I will."

He flopped his body back down to the side with a groan, giving her room to wiggle from under him and be free. He rolled onto his back when he felt her get up. A small moan, deep in his throat, sounded, and he took a long breath in through his nose. Bix sent every ounce of love he could muster to Mr. Elan. Gods, he needed a cup of coffee. Opening one red eye, he sat upright again and heaved himself to his feet, twisting the sweat pants he'd slept in so they weren't bunched into his crotch anymore. A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he slowly staggered to the kitchen.

Bix turned the corner to find his father, in workout gear, sipping on a cup of the sweet nectar of the gods he needed. He dragged his body onto a stool next to his father, a cup of coffee appearing in front of him. A loving look at the mug and a muttered thank you to Mr. Elan later, Bix took a small sip, smiling.

"Sleep well?" his father asked, Arman's eyes dancing with amusement. Bix rubbed one eye and took a large swig from his mug. "Like a rock," he answered, gulping again. "I'll bet." Arman grinned. "You both looked like you could use the rest." It wasn't the first time he'd caught a small pile of kids on the couch, but it was undoubtedly the most modest. As he opened his mouth to make another comment at his unaware son, and it was hard to catch Bix unaware, Mrs. Elan came into the kitchen, a confused look on her face.

"Ambassador." She addressed him formally. Arman's smile fell from his face. That meant they had company. "A young man wishes to speak with you," Mrs. Elan said crisply, her eyes scanning the room for the status of everyone's capability to receive company. "Shall I show him to your study?" Arman rose to his feet. He wasn't sure what to make of the situation. He was unaccustomed to people showing up to his home without announcing their intention to do so; Especially in the last week of their family mourning period. His chest throbbed with anger and offense. How dare this person come to his home and interrupt their family for any reason? Forgetting his attire and playfully mocking his son, Arman gave Mrs. Elan a curt, dark nod and refilled his coffee cup from the decanter on the counter. He was in no rush. "Bickslow." The severity of his father's tone caught Bix off guard and had his attention immediately. "Dad?" He blinked and looked up at his father's calm face. "Go get dressed. Take the back hall and meet me back here." His father didn't look at him as he spoke. "And do it as quickly as you can." Bix blinked at his father one more time before sliding off the stool and running silently down the back hall to his room.

* * *

Lucy saw Bix streak by, and her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. That was the fastest she had ever seen him move before a cup of coffee, which to the best of her knowledge, he hadn't had yet. With a small shrug, Lucy walked down the hall back to the living room, and Bix passed her again, pulling a shirt over his head. That settled it. Her feeling of confusion transformed into concern. "Arman, what's going on?" she asked, eyeing her father in law. "Have a cup of coffee, Cosplayer," Bix answered her when Arman started to move to the door of the kitchen. "I've got dad covered."

Arman's face, though he had a relaxed expression sitting on it, she could tell from his posture he had entered angry dignitary mode. She recognized the stiffened posture and slightly clenched jaw from her father. And Arman Pradesh had very, very little in common with Jude Heartfilia. "It'll be alright, my dear," Mr. Elan said to Lucy, pulling her attention back to the kitchen. A cup of coffee appeared before her. The man was indeed a godsend. "Thank you. Do you know what's going on?" she asked, blowing across the liquid before sipping it. Perfectly sweet. She smiled softly. "There is an unannounced guest. Mr. Pradesh usually only sees people at home with an appointment. No one would be able to schedule one presently. His frustration is at the presumptuous visit and the incredibly poor timing."

As he spoke, the magic Mr. Elan had prepared a bran muffin piled with strawberry jam and placed it on a plate with mixed fruit and a green smoothie he had made earlier in a glass. Lucy slid into the stool as a plate slid to her. "It's rather rude. I can't say I blame him," she said thoughtfully, taking another sip of coffee before surveying breakfast. "Mr. Elan, you're a wonder." The chef smiled at the blonde, beaming at him over her plate.

* * *

Zen woke, sitting straight up in bed. His chest felt like a steel girder had been shoved straight through it. A hand flew up to his left bicep, checking for the pair of brass cuffs he wore. The magic canceling shackles he'd been wearing as they left the burning city of Romell had proven to be a boon in their new life as magic dulling arm cuffs his father had commissioned. Zen placed a hand over his heart and massaged the area gently, his father's teary words ringing in his mind. "You've worn shackles your whole life. I can't bear to watch you wear them anymore. Let me make them into something beautiful for you." And beautiful they were. The brass hammered thinly and braided like a cord; the jeweler had fashioned cables into the metal, creating a woven, intricate pattern.

They were still his cuffs. But now, they represented a new lease on life, much like the new lease he had. His chest still ached, though it lessened as he breathed. It dawned on him all at once. It was a pull, but it wasn't Lucy. Warm, welcoming, open. He was too familiar with the sensation massaging his magic that was Lucy. This pull had a darker twinge to it. The light at its core was intact, but around the edges, he felt a creeping sense of darkness, and it thrilled him for just a moment. This person was dangerous, but that didn't mean that they were a threat. Vander was dangerous, but he was the single most ridiculous person Zen had ever met and could turn danger on and off like a switch.

He swung his long legs over the edge of the bed. Zen stood and made his way over to the dresser on the far wall of the room. He needed to see what was going on, and to do that, he'd need pants.

* * *

Bix was on Arman's heels as they strode down the hall, not bothering to quiet their approach. The study doors stood ajar enough to see a person with long auburn hair sitting on the leather sofa. Arman straightened his compression shirt and threw a glance over his shoulder at his son, opening the pocket doors. His study was comfortable, intentionally designed to put anyone who entered it at ease. But he was surprised as the narrow shoulders of the man on his couch tensed at the sound.

The man stood, his waist-length auburn hair swinging at the speed. He faced the man he'd come to meet. Bowing his head, he muttered, "Ambassador," before laying his hand on his chest and dipping his chin lower. Arman noted the lilt in his low tenor that smacked of Minstrel. Arman's jade eyes slid over him, taking note of several things. First, the clan tattoo that rested low on his right hip, a rising sun. The second, his skin color was light. He was tan, like a Boscan, but lighter, with an olive undertone. Arman knew without a doubt that this man was neither Boscan nor Minstrelan, but both and a clansman. A unique heritage. "You have me at a disadvantage," Arman said coolly. "Please introduce yourself."

He was furious. But he also knew that whatever this man's reason was, he didn't want to be rude. He was becoming more intrigued as to what brought this man to his home by the second. "Please forgive my intrusion, Ambassador," he started, moving out of the bow he held. His hands fell to his sides but did not stay there. "My name is Ari Lucien, of clan Licht." As he spoke, his hands gestured to himself, a Minstrelan mannerism if Arman had ever seen one. Arman surveyed the man. Beautiful was the word that immediately came to mind. He had delicate features, leaning more toward the feminine, and his build was narrow but athletic. His body seemed lithe and well trained above all else. He was in perfect control over every inch.

Arman knew the game. Speaking with one's hands while disarming, was more importantly, distracting. It seemed to come as second nature to Ari, learned from exposure, but it was also intentional. Arman just couldn't tell where nature and intent stopped and started. He was good.

"What brings you here, Mr. Lucien? I was just starting my first cup of coffee." Ari winced, his displeasure from interrupting the Ambassador seemed genuine, but Arman, wisely, wasn't ready to trust it. With a glance over his shoulder once again, Arman looked to Bix. His son was on the same page, nodding to his father. So far, he was who he said he was. "Again, sir, I apologize. I didn't want to make myself a bother, but I couldn't wait anymore. And no one would suspect me meeting you now."

It was a plan. The early morning, last week of the mourning period. Arman raised an eyebrow impatiently and strode behind his desk, gesturing for Ari to take a seat in front of it. Bix moved to his father's right shoulder, where he watched the man's soul churn, swirling with golds and greens, thin threads of murky grey working their way through like marbling on a piece of meat. His soul was damaged. Not beyond repair, but cracking. "Thank you," he nodded and took the offered seat, his eyes fixed on the hands in his lap. Well, he was capable of politeness when rude didn't suit his needs better. That was a good enough starting point for Arman. "I came to see you because I know it was you who had Vander and Presca… retired from the Steel Council." He chose his words carefully, and his mocha-colored eyes met Arman's gaze intensely. "I was hoping we might come to an arrangement where you would do the same for me."

"I'm afraid I'm not sure what you're talking about," Arman replied his mask of calm and collected holding by some miracle. "Even if I could've done such a thing, what makes you certain that I could help you? My son and his best friend are one thing, but you're a perfect stranger." He was acting callous, and he knew it, but Arman was testing the waters with the man. He couldn't admit to being the one that had pried Vander and Presca out of the claws of the Steel Council at their request. But then, Ari Lucien had never copped to being a Bloodhunter either.

The narrow shoulders of the man softened. He was gaining ground. Arman needed to put a stop to it at once. "Ambassador, may I speak frankly?" His eyes continued to bore into Arman's, who nodded once. "I'd rather not play games with you. I could try to use all my charms to make you say something to confirm the rumors. You could keep rubbing me wrong intentionally to test my worthiness of the information. And you being you would win." Ari leaned forward onto his knees with his forearms. "But truly, Ambassador, I just want out." Arman threw a look over his shoulder at Bix, who nodded, not bothering with discretion.

"You're going to keep being honest with me. And I need to clarify a couple of things," Arman said, eyeing the man in front of him. He was older than most of his children. Arman placed him at or just south of thirty. Ari leaned back into his chair and murmured his agreement to the terms of answering questions honestly. He was beyond his pride. He bordered on desperate even. "You are a Bloodhunter?" Ari nodded. "Please, answer aloud. We're building trust here, no?"

Brown eyes widened for a half a breath and settled into an amused clam. "Yes."

"How long?" His question was the moment where instinct might overpower the man's desire, and Arman was watching for it. "Fourteen years." Arman's eyes widened at his answer. Fourteen years. That meant he was drafted at roughly the same age as he had entered his mandatory military service at fifteen. All the man had known for half of his life was blood and espionage. "How old are you?" Ari looked genuinely surprised. "May I ask why it's important?"

Arman smiled for the first time since entering the room. It instantly made his guest relax. He knew that he had that effect on people. "I'm curious. Indulge me." Ari fidgeted in his seat. He was old for a Bloodhunter, and he knew it. Most were young things in their prime. He had crested his prime five years ago, and he was starting to feel it. "Twenty-nine." He watched Arman's and Bixy's reactions happen at the same time. Their looks of surprise were not unexpected, and they quickly righted themselves. "I know," he started calmly. "I'm old for a Bloodhunter."

* * *

Vander strolled to the doorway of the kitchen silently, catching the tail end of a conversation. He paused before entering to listen.

"There is an unannounced guest. Mr. Pradesh usually only sees people at home with an appointment. And not under present circumstances. His frustration is at the presumptuous visit and the incredibly poor timing."

"It is rather rude. I can't say I blame Arman," Lucy's voice smiled. "Mr. Elan, you're a wonder."

Van backed out of the doorway and slipped into the early morning shadows, hurrying to the study where he knew his father would be with the guest. He slid under the door, peering into the room around him from the corner near the pocket doors. Van noticed the auburn-haired man at his father's desk and grinned to himself. And here he thought the day might be dull.

Bix leaned down to his father's ear, whispering something and looking into his corner. Snitch, he thought, holding his place. His father would have wanted him there anyway, he was sure. The jig was up. Vander stepped out of the shadows, entering the room and eyeing the back of the auburn head he knew. "Blistati," he said, beaming at Ari. He watched, wickedly amused, as Ari's shoulders tensed slightly at the nickname. A small chuckle escaped his lips. "I should have known you'd crash." Bickslow rolled his eyes and sighed.

* * *

Zen tied his hair into a messy bun at the back of his head as he walked into the kitchen, surprised to find only Lucy and Mr. Elan. His sister in law was munching on mixed fruit as he took the seat next to her. "Who's here?" he asked, stealing a piece of melon from her plate and popping it into his mouth. The blonde scowled at him. Melon was her second favorite, after strawberries. "Good morning to you too. Stay out of my plate, or I'll put a fork in your hand," she greeted him, a sweetness in her voice that made their family chef chuckle as he dished up more fruit. "Someone came unannounced. Your father and Bix are in the study."

Zen nodded. "Can you sense them?"

Lucy blinked for a moment. It seemed like an odd question. Zen would be just as likely to be able to sense them as well as she could. His instinct for knowing magic was something that astounded Lucy. Maybe he was second-guessing himself? But as she slid her eyes closed, Lucy took a steadying breath and reached out around her, looking for magic. She felt Zen, Arman, Bix, Vander, and what she assumed was the visitor. His magic pressure seemed muted, probably intentionally, but the signature of his magic felt vaguely familiar.

Zen's eyes never left Lucy as he watched her take in her surroundings. Taking another piece of melon off her plate and eating it, he laughed in alarm as a fork came down a split second too late to catch his hand, the tines clanging on the marble. "His magic feels familiar," she muttered, opening her eyes and leveling her gaze on him. "And that was a warning." Mr. Elan laughed softly to himself again, placing a bowl of mostly melon in front of Zen, raising an eyebrow at the man.

Lucy smirked at her brother in law, eating a strawberry smugly. Despite her flippant exterior, Lucy was ticking inside. Her brain was running through everyone she knew. Why did that magic feel so familiar? And why did Zen ask about it? Mr. Elan moved to the far end of the kitchen. "So you feel them too then. What did you feel, other than familiar?" Zen asked between pieces of fruit. Lucy looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "Just… familiar. Why are you asking me? It's not like you wouldn't pick up on it." Her tone was curious and her eyes flashed when he met her sideways gaze. "It has a pull."

Lucy's head snapped to him. "That's not possible," she deadpanned. "You're telling me. They aren't a Celestial Mage. I shouldn't feel it like I do." Her brows knitted together again. "It doesn't make sense, Zen." A sigh passed through his full lips. He knew that. It wasn't like he hadn't been learning everything that he could about his magic. He'd been reading for weeks and scrounging up whatever information he could, including regular calls with the ever-gracious Dean Kalperden of the Academe Celestine. Lucy tapped the tines of her fork against her bottom lip in thought. "Didn't Dean Kalperden mention that Celestial wizards aren't the only wizards that Archangels could mate and bond? Light and Holy mages are also possible if I recall correctly." Zen hummed his agreement. "That's right. He did," he mumbled. That had to be it. "A Light or a Holy mage? I've never met a Holy mage, but Sting is the light dragon slayer. That isn't what his magic feels like, though."

Lucy found herself slipping back into thought, running through all the mages she could possibly remember. She knew she would figure it out. It was just a matter of time. "If I remember, I'll let you know first," she said, nodding her head in affirmation. Zen nodded. "Any progress on your research?" His purple eyes met her chocolate brown ones and she felt her heart throb in her chest. She still couldn't help but wonder if it would ever be usual with them. She was getting the feeling it wasn't. She sighed again, sipping the refreshed cup of coffee and shook her head. "Not really. There's so much information on mating, the process especially for dragons and even slayers. But the only thing that I keep finding is that mates die without each other. It's not very encouraging."

Zen nodded slowly, finishing his breakfast. He luckily didn't have the caffeine addiction that had Mr. Elan brewing pot after pot of coffee each morning, though he would confess that the smell was divine, and he did like the taste occasionally. "I can understand that. Your situation is unique. Like Kaleb said, you have a Seith looking out for you. Perhaps no one had that before."

Like cogs sliding perfectly into place, Lucy gasped. She flung herself off the stool and threw her arms around Zen's broad shoulders, startling the man who barely caught her. "You're brilliant!" She pulled herself away from him quickly, her cheeks flushing slightly pink. "So sorry. I know you don't like to be touched." Zen's face split into a gentle smile. "You're right, but there are worse people I can think of doing so." Lucy giggled softly and placed a soft hand on his forearm, hesitating just before contact. "Thank you, Zen." Her words were a little breathless as she jogged out of the kitchen and down the back hall.

* * *

A/N:

So the world is going a little crazy right now. I hope all fo you are well, safe, and I'm keeping your wellbeing in my thoughts.

On the shorter side. That was both intentional and circumstantial. I haven't hit publish in two weeks and didn't want to wait anymore. I'm hoping I won't have to overhaul my plans for this story again (ooh yeah, that's why it took 2 weeks) and now that we've been officially sequestered, I'm doing a lot of drawing, writing, and working out. So I'm hoping it won't take as long as we settle into isolation.

Blistati is Serbo-Croatian for 'glitter, glisten' according to the Google box. If someone reading this speaks Serbo-Croatian and it's not correct, please let me know and I'll fix it right away.

Thanks to everyone who has been reviewing, favoriting, following and mashing all the other buttons. It really means the world. I went to go publish this chapter and looked at the stats for the first time in forever. Fine Shrine has received over 3,000 views. Guys. Guys. That's mind-blowing! I mean what?! Super humbling.

WS: Thanks for the kind words! I enjoy reading your reviews. Bix and Lucy are biffles. Headcannon says so. And I would love to have the Zen conversation with you. After I complete this story haha. I have so many thoughts on the matter that I can't get into without spilling beans I don't want to spill.

Guest: Our girl is tough as nails and time heals all wounds. Fingers crossed for her though.

Until next time,

Nik


	12. Movement

_Still don't own Mashima's Fairy Tail or Desna's Pradeshes. Ari is mine. No longer just renting._

_Reviews are always welcome and make me feel pretty. Enjoy. Note at the end. Please, please read this one. Especially the regular folks reading this._

* * *

Lucy skidded to a halt in front of her room, her lungs barely registering her short jog down the hall. Her thin fingers wrapped around the communications lacrima on her desk, and she pushed magic into the orb. The Celestial mage waited for what felt like ages. The green-haired man she desperately wanted to speak to appeared on the face of the sphere. "Freed!" she exclaimed. "Lucy, what's wrong?" The Rune mage sounded worried. In her excitement, Lucy hadn't thought that she'd startle him. But that was neither here nor there. "Nothing that hasn't been. I just had an idea. The Fiorian Archives have banned books, correct?"

Freed's eyebrows met over his nose. He was listening, but he was confused. He hadn't left the Pradesh family home more than twelve hours before and the last thing he expected was a call from the blonde he was off to research for in the first place. "Yes," he answered slowly. Why would Lucy be asking about banned books of all things? Freed's mind was ticking. He was trying to piece together what she could be thinking, but he was drawing a blank. He hated the feeling.

Lucy was nearly giddy with excitement. She had just one more question. "The Archives also have journals of prominent mages throughout history, correct?" She was bouncing on her toes, grinning like she had lost her mind. Her manic face made Freed think oddly of Bickslow's manic, tongue lolling grin. Perhaps the pair had spent too much time together after Lucy had become officially family, not just guild family. "What are you getting at, Lucy?" Freed was growing frustrated with her. Why wouldn't she just come out with it? Why the questions?

She stopped bouncing and grinned a little wider. "Perhaps something we should look into is the journals of famous Seith mages from about four to five hundred years ago." Freed gaped at her. He began ticking again—the journals of famous Seith mages. Seith magic had been around for thousands of years. It was prolific at more points in history than not, though the magic users were always considered dangerous. But then, four to five hundred years ago was when dragons were in peaceful coexistence with humans. "Lucy…" he breathed. He'd put it together. "If we can find a journal from a Seith that may have known a slayer or even a dragon, we might be able to find out if they could survive. Maybe Bix isn't the only one in history to see the leak."

Lucy grinned again. "You got it. I'm going to have Arman get me into the Boscan Archives. I think that taking a different approach might be in order. What do you think?" Freed's lips tilted into a smile. "I think I'll be in Crocus by the end of the week. You'll be my first call if I find anything that resembles your situation." Freed thought it was genuinely brilliant. There had to be some overlap somewhere of another Seith and a slayer or dragon. And if they could find just the right intersection of history, they might be able to learn something beyond the hopelessness they kept finding. "I'll do what I can on my end," he nodded, affirming his intentions and smiling at her again. "Thank you, Freed." Her smile had softened, like her eyes. "For everything."

He nodded to the blonde, and as the orb went dark in his hand, Freed set his jaw. He had somewhere to start. That was going to make all the difference in the quest to save Lucy. A small lilt on the corner of his mouth made the caramel-skinned crew member beside him on the couch tilt his head in curiosity, his eyes shining with interest. "It's nothing," Freed said, running his hand over the man's bare chest. "I just love a challenge." The man smirked at him, moving into his space. "I like the sound of that." Freed was going to miss Bosco more than ever.

* * *

Vander flopped into the chair next to Ari and avoided his father's face. He knew the look he was getting better than he cared to admit; Displeasure. That's what Van'd find. "Vander," he stated firmly. "This was a private meeting." Van snapped his merlot colored eyes to his father, unable to ignore when his father addressed him directly. "I know. I figured I'd see who it was. And Ari here, well, he's not going to be able to answer everything you have to want to know, Dad." Ari looked to his left and saw Vander staring into his father's face. He could hardly believe that he was here speaking to the Ambassador, to begin with, yet here he was.

And now, Vander Pradesh had joined the meeting. The same man that had Ari thinking about the last time he had nearly died in Joya. Though he hadn't known it at the time, Ari was working as a private bed warmer for the noblewoman that Vander and Presca were there to 'convince by any means necessary' to dislodge a Succubus stronghold in the region. Ari still didn't know why the Council cared about a single coven on the land of a Joyan noblewoman, but then, he didn't want to either. Knowing things he shouldn't know could and more than likely, would put a target on his already worn down back.

The last time he laid eyes on Vander Pradesh, he'd thrown a dagger at him in defense of not only his mistress but also his own life. Thankfully, he was able to pull to the left without raising suspicion, and the wound Presca had given him in the leg had been minor. All of them had walked away from the skirmish with hardly a scratch, the noblewoman intact. Vander had seen to his mission before all hell broke loose. Those damn Joyan women and their pride.

"Ballsy move, busting in here, though. Why now, Ari?" Vander's gaze slid to his right and locked his gaze onto mocha-colored eyes. Why now was the one question he couldn't give a complete and honest answer. He was spelled. But then, Vander knew that. While he wouldn't know the particulars because no one could get the answer out of him without the Steel Council knowing, but he could give what he could. "Willing to fill in the blanks?" he asked. Van nodded.

Arman looked at the two men that sat across from him with interest. Van had never been able to break a bind, nor had Presca, but Vander being able to fill in what he knew from what he'd heard before leaving. Well, Arman couldn't pass up the opportunity to speak to an active Bloodhunter. While Vander was more than capable of plucking the end of every frayed nerve he had, he knew what kind of binding the Bloodhunters had to the Council. Their occupations made them secretive, sneaky, and downright dangerous. And to top it all off, when on assignment, they were physically incapable of talking about their task. The Council had developed the spell specifically for the 'safety and welfare of operatives' twenty years ago, but it wasn't well known outside of the Knights officers and families of the Bloodhunters if they had a family. The spell was powerful magic that bound them to the Council, each other, and to hold onto their secrets at all costs, up to and including their lives. "Why now?" he asked gently.

Ari looked from Arman to Vander and down to the hands in his lap. He took a breath and tried to steady himself. "If they send me back, which is exactly what they plan to do, I won't make it." Van snapped to look at the man beside him again. "The fuck? How can you be so sure?" Ari smiled softly. "The same as everyone eventually. Old injuries are slowing me down. My magic taking its toll on my body. The job taking its toll on my mind." Ari pushed his hand across his mouth gathering his thoughts. "I don't feel right anymore. I'm losing my grip. If they send me back to-" the word hitched in his throat, he exhaled loudly. "Joya." Vander finished the statement. He wasn't bound anymore. And he was sure as hell not going to let his old comrade choke on his words.

"Joya?" Arman asked, alarmed. They'd been working at the consulate for years trying to get the Warqueen Sydelle to work with them to better the relationship between Bosco and Joya. And of course, encourage the shift from reliance on slavery. While many countries still used slaves as a means of labor, the breeding slaves of Joya broke Arman's heart the most. It hit far too close to home. His Kaleb had been bound for Joya when he'd found him. The way Arman understood the situation, the Warqueen herself was going to be his owner. And he would have been used from far too young an age to sire children and pleasure the woman. The thought made his skin crawl.

"I cannot imagine what you've been doing there." Ari looked back up to Arman to answer him. "Nothing I can talk about, and nothing Vander knows." Arman glanced over his shoulder at Bix, who nodded and to Van as he shrugged and joined his brother in a nod. Nothing but the truth. That was what he asked for, and that was what Ari was providing to the best of his ability.

* * *

Loke tapped his lower lip with his thumb and paced the room. Virgo sat staring, worried at him. "Big Brother, please sit down. You're pacing again." The maiden spirit was just as concerned for her mistress as the Lion spirit, but she had more restraint. While he was fire, she was earth. Her worry, though eating her alive, was not enough to disturb her grounded nature. But Loke, he burned. He burned with anger at The Fates, the All-Mother for her order to remain silent, Cassiopeia and Andromeda for their flippant regard of their mistress, and the Spirit King himself for doing nothing but adhering to everyone else's decisions. Her rationale was sound. They set a foot out of line and the punishment that Leo had faced would look like her wettest dream. But it didn't make it any easier for any of the Zodiac to bear.

Capricorn had reached a point where he could not watch anymore as Lucy had done nothing to help herself. Aquarius was always on a tirade, claiming that they had a stupid little girl for a mistress. But Virgo knew better. Her constant name-calling and ranting about Lucy meant that she was scared, even feeling helpless. But then, they all did.

Virgo also knew that Princess was far from stupid. She was mourning the loss of her love, her mate. That devastation was something that no Celestial could understand. While they had bonded with one another, their little, highly dysfunctional family, couldn't compare to the bond of a human soul to another. Virgo sighed lightly and placed her chin in her palm. "Big brother," she started before Leo rounded on her and glared. With a small tilt of her head and another sigh, Virgo looked away from him once again. There had to be some way they could help their Princess.

* * *

Ari looked to the man seated beside him. Last time he had seen Vander, they had been fighting side by side to get out of Seven with all their body parts still attached. Van, Presca, and Ari had run into one another, kept their cool, and moved on. But one wayward glance from the Lord that Ari had been "serving" at the time to the Lord Vander had been sent to silence had led to an all-out brawl, Ari's cover blown, and the three men fighting for their lives. Vander and Presca had completed their task, the Lord falling before they were gone, but Ari had failed his. His job had been to infiltrate and gain the trust of a Sevenese Lord and pass on every detail he could find out about the man.

It hadn't been trying. But Van and Presca showing up to do their job had complicated things. Especially for Ari.

_A fist slammed into the side of his head. He saw white for a moment before blinking the light out of his eyes. More than a little ironic, he thought, showing more restraint than he thought he had. Thick steel pins sat under three of the fingernails on his right hand and all of them on his left. He knew he had a concussion, but he didn't say a word. His head swam and ached from repeated blows. "Tell me why you missed, Sebastian. Tell me, and I can make it stop." The voice of the Lord's right hand, a brute of a man with arms as thick as Ari's thigh, growled in his ear. Using his middle name for cover had been brilliant on his part; He even answered to it nearly passed out._

_And while the offer was slightly tempting because every twitch his fingers made moved the pins, Ari knew whatever the pile of muscle could think up would be nothing compared to the Steel Council. If he flipped, he'd die for treason. The more slow and painful they could manage, the better._

"Mr. Lucien?" Arman's green eyes danced with concern. The young man's far away look nearly made him want to shudder. He was all too familiar with that face, having seen it more than once on Presca and Vander. Ari blinked and turned his attention back to the Ambassador in front of him. "Yes, sir." Arman shifted millimeters in his chair and softened his tone. "I asked if you have somewhere to go, given your freedom?" A pink tint settled on Ari's cheeks. "I could go back to Licht, but clan life never suited me," he answered. "The elders never did like having half a clansman in their midst." Arman leaned back and nodded. The clans of the Grass Sea were full people that stuck to their own. Not that all clansmen had prejudice, but the oldest of the old and the ones most set in their own ways were likely to carry disdain for outsiders, even if their own people chose to be with them. "Then, what is your plan?" Mocha- colored eyes snapped to Arman's, and he stared. His eyes still looked so far away to Arman, but they were somehow also alert.

"I've always thought I'd die a hunter."

"Well, start thinking about it." Arman stood from his desk chair, watching his face light up. "I'm not agreeing to anything. But I'll want an answer before I even consider it." Ari jumped to his feet, Van snickering almost silently beside him. He bowed to the Ambassador, watching the man leave the room, saying over his shoulder, "If you'll excuse me, I am going for a run. Please feel free to head to the kitchen. Mr. Elan will make sure you get breakfast." It was only after it went away that Ari noticed the green tinge to the room disappeared. Looking apparently confused, Bix only grinned, winked, and followed his father out of the room. "Bix was watching your soul." Ari looked to Vander again, rising from his bow. "My soul?" Vander grinned at him. "Why don't we grab breakfast like dad suggested?" Ari nodded, still confused, and followed his comrade out of the study.

* * *

Lucy breathed out, sitting on the edge of her bed. Her mind was racing again. She was encouraged that Freed had caught onto her thoughts. She was excited to see what he would be able to find in Fiore. And she was sure for the first time since the family meeting that this was what she wanted. The thought of living without her mate was still odd, and honestly, when she had mated with him, she knew what one of their deaths would mean. It would mean that they wouldn't be apart long. But now, given a chance to live on, Lucy knew this is what Cristoff would want for her. To live on, happy, healthy, and for both of them.

A tear streaked down her cheek for the first time in weeks. She hadn't been able to cry, her tears spent, but now, as she touched the drop running down her cheek, she couldn't help but smile softly. Normal was never going to be an option again. But she suddenly felt like a new normal was possible. As one tear turned into two, turned into sobbing, Lucy let herself feel the hurt and the contentedness she was starting to fall into. She knew happy was off the table for the time being, but she couldn't help but feel like she wasn't falling apart quite as severely.

A pang of guilt-wracked terror vibrated through her whole body as she realized that she was willing to move on from her fallen mate, husband, and best friend. She knew that it had been a month since the funeral. She also knew that the whole point of the Boscan mourning period was to bring the family together, for better or worse, and rebond without the missing person. But it still felt somehow wrong to be doing a little more ok. She couldn't help but feel like she was finding closure, and it felt like it was too soon.

* * *

Outside in the hallway, Emzadi padded softly up to Lucy's door, hearing her sister sobbing. Closing her eyes, she rested her fingertips against the door, leaving her sister in peace to feel what she was feeling. At that moment, she became determined. If they as a family had learned anything over the last six weeks, it was that life was too short not to embrace what you had while you had it.

After sending a silent wave of love to Lucy through the door, Emi sighed softly, squaring her shoulders, and walked off to find Presca. She needed to talk to him.

* * *

A/N:

So I don't know if you guys have looked at my profile lately. But there is a good reason I haven't updated in a month. There's also no promise that the updates will be going back to a regular schedule, even though I'm going to try my best.

So here's the jam for anyone who doesn't want to go take a look. The virus has been rough. Really rough. Quarantine has blown, much like it has for everyone, but it also got super personal. We lost my nonna to it. And my sister and her husband have still not recovered, though they aren't hospitalized as of right now. I'm basically taking stuff day by day.

I am super sorry that I left you guys hanging for so long on a cliff hanger. That's not cool. I'm making an effort going forward (especially because I'm not sure if this is back back yet) to not do that.

Thanks to everyone who has favorited and followed in the last several weeks. Getting the notifications has made me want to continue this and honestly, I've needed the warmfuzzies.

WS: I'm team login : ) And sorry for the wait.


	13. The Start

_Still don't own Mashima's Fairy Tail or Desna's Pradeshes. Ari is mine. No longer just renting._

_Reviews are always welcome and make me feel pretty. Enjoy. Note at the end._

* * *

A wooden totem floated down into Lucy's vision. Extending her index finger, Pipi landed gently, keeping itself balanced on the tip. A soft smile graced her lips as she gently patted the smooth top of the totem's, what she assumed, head as her tears dried on her cheeks. Pipi was her favorite of Bickslow's souls. The most childlike and sweet of the bunch, Pipi was a cuddler and enjoyed just being the proximity of people. It always seemed to know when Lucy needed a friend, even if Pipi's master couldn't be there.

If Lucy had told herself four years before that one of her best friends in the world would be the obnoxious, wild, goofball that was Bix, she wouldn't have believed herself. Not only had he tried to kill her when they first met, but he was just… odd. His eccentricity was something that had always deterred her from speaking to him in the guild. Well, that and the endless stream of perverted jokes and flirting. But she quickly learned after the guild disbanded that there was so much more to Fairy Tail's resident Seith mage. He was kind, fiercely loyal, compassionate, an avid horror reader, and one hell of a cook. After the years they lost on Tenrou, Lucy had noticed a shift in the man.

While he was prone to giving into, what he called, his "very Boscan nature" before, he had started to date occasionally. Real dates. Ones where there were dinner and conversation and above all else, a possibility of real connection. At the beginning of the shift, Lucy overheard him asking Mira about what one needed to do to plan a date. She nearly gave herself whiplash looking at the man beside her. "Don't look so surprised, Cosplayer," he grinned, his tongue lolling. Lucy did her best to wipe the shock off her face. "I just thought you didn't date." He smiled, without his tongue, and winked at her. "Why? You suddenly interested?" An eyebrow cocked up with his question.

Lucy turned bright red against her will. She would have to be blind to see that without the ridiculous helmet, Bickslow was an attractive man. After sputtering through a false start, Lucy was finally able to pull herself together enough to retort. "Hardly. Just thought you and Laxus had some kind of pact to be terminal bachelors." Mira giggled behind her hand, and Bix just widened his grin. He knew she had him. "Nah. Just got some perspective," he said with a shrug. Realizing that she was needed elsewhere, Mira walked to the other end of the bar, leaving Lucy and Bickslow to talk. "Oh?" Bix's grin slipped slightly. "Yeah," he answered, propping his elbow on the bar and turning to face her. "I mean, you don't think that missing seven years of your life changed you?"

Lucy thought for a moment. The seven years they were trapped on Tenrou did change her. She was more determined to become stronger. She was less dependent on her team. She was even learning once again just how strong she was with the loss of her father. "Of course it did," she said casually. "But I don't see what dating has to do with it." Bix smiled again and leaned a little closer to the blonde sitting beside him. "Life is just too fucking short, Cosplayer, to not try to be better than we were." Looking into his crimson eyes, Lucy couldn't help but agree. She smiled back at him and sipped her strawberry milkshake, not entirely sure when it had appeared in front of her but sending Mira a thank you smile and nod. They talked for the rest of the afternoon.

And that was that. Bix became a fixture in Lucy's life. One of her best friends, a partner in crime (he was particularly skilled at finding ways to mess with their guildmates and had a brilliant mind for Scary Lucy revenge plots), and confidant. Over a year, he became… important. It wasn't until one night when he showed up at her apartment with a board game and take-out from 8-Island two weeks before Christmas that things were fated to shift again.

Unpacking their food and moving into the kitchen for utensils and plates, Bix started blabbering right away. "I am so excited!" he began, placing the dishes on her table as she pulled up her usual chair. "You know the system Master was talking about buying from White Sea?" She nodded in reply, figuring that the question was rhetorical. "Well, it's happening. And Cristoff is coming to Fairy Tail to install it just in time to be here for Christmas!" Lucy perked up. That was exciting news! She knew it was ages since he had seen any of his brothers and sisters, and it killed him. Lucy remembered feeling floored to find out that Bickslow, Seith mage, and resident goof, was actually Bickslow Pradesh, the son of the world-famous Boscan ambassador. Lucy had been following the ambassador's career since she was in her early teens, learning everything she could about the man's humanitarian efforts and successful negotiations to end slavery across the continent.

"That's great!" she answered, beaming at her friend. He grinned back at her, popping a fry into his mouth. "That's not even the best part! He's not coming alone. Vander and Emzadi are coming too. And they're all going to be here for two months. Can you believe it? They're going to be here in two weeks. Emi needed to finish up a job for Kaleb. And Vander has another week or so on a job for the government. Or they would be coming sooner." They chatted while they ate, Bix barely controlling his excitement enough to eat his meal. He talked about what he wanted to show them in Magnolia, a trip to Crocus he was starting to plan, meeting Lucy and the rest of Fairy Tail. The list went on and on. "You're going to have to give your brother some time to install the system." Bix laughed in reply and gathered the dishes and take-out containers, strolling into the kitchen and cleaning up quickly.

It amazed Lucy how comfortable they were. He would walk into her home and treat it as his own, much as her team did. But the big difference was he almost always brought food, carry-out or groceries, and he always cleaned up after both of them. Lucy found herself being grateful for his visits rather than Lucy Kicking him out of the window like she was likely to do with Natsu. And what surprised her more than anything was that it was two ways. She could walk into his house, start making dinner, and grab them both a drink out of the fridge while he set up a game board. Or the babies would notify him she was there before she had a chance to raise her hand to knock, and he'd be at the door, grabbing the carry-out.

The following two weeks passed usually. Hanging out, taking jobs with their teams, and Bix getting more and more excited for his impending family visit. He was like a shaken bottle of champagne, ready to pop at any time. When the day finally came, Bix was bouncing around the guildhall like a superball. He was unable to sit still, so excited for the arrival of his siblings that Laxus gave him a shock to knock him out for a while, earning him a nasty look from Lucy across the hall at the bar. The other wizards in the guild couldn't help but feel grateful, even if they didn't necessarily agree with the lighting slayer's methods. Before they knew it, Bickslow was conscious again, plotting his next prank on Laxus when the doors to the hall swung open.

In strode three people, two men and a woman, that caused everyone in the room to do a double-take. They gave an air of confidence. The woman, Lucy assumed, was Emzadi, was tall, curvy, caramel-skinned, and had flowing blonde hair that fell effortlessly down her back. And as stunning as she was, her clothing punctuated her presence. A golden chain was slung delicately across her forehead, leading down to the collar of what looked like folds of sheer fabric looped into a golden necklace. The rest of her body, wrapped in the gauzy folds, was adorned with what looked like gold chains and clasps holding it all in place. The two men that accompanied her were just as stunning.

The first wore leather that didn't quite look like leather, molded perfectly to his lithe form. The jerkin was sleeveless, fitted, and somehow complimented the overall air of danger that Lucy got from him. The little hairs on the back of her neck stood as soon as she laid eyes on him. His hair was black, past his shoulders, and red-streaked, though she couldn't tell for sure if it was natural. His hair fell in soft waves, framing his sharp features and the most mischievous pair of merlot eyes Lucy could recall ever seeing, giving even Bix a run for his money.

Lucy barely noticed Bix bounding toward his siblings, Emzadi running to meet him in the entrance of the hall and jumping into his arms. As her eyes fell on the amused face of the last Boscan to enter, her breath hitched in her chest. She openly stared at him, taking in every detail of him. He felt familiar, though why she thought such a thing would have confused her if she wasn't too busy openly staring at his beautiful face. The features were large, but fitting, midnight-blue eyes danced with amusement at his siblings, and a smile cracked across his full lips. His black hair fell to the middle of his shoulder blades and looked almost a midnight blue where the light hit is. His clothing was all skin-tight, boots to tunic, which was open to just under his sternum.

Lucy was captivated. And as if he could sense her staring, he glanced toward the bar, his eyes glossing over Cana sitting next to her and landed squarely on the blonde. Breathing was proving to be trying again. His smile softened as he took her in, starting at her ankles and moving them up her entire form before locking onto her chocolate brown eyes. He seemed just as transfixed as she was. The spell broke as he looked away from her, Bix grabbing him around the shoulders and pulling him into what would have been a bone-crushing embrace to anyone else. But the huge man took it in stride and crushed his brother back.

Vander, Lucy guessed, as he walked past his brothers hugging, swatting Bix firmly on the ass. He clearly enjoyed the yelp that it caused and made his way over to the bar, leaning in front of Mira. His smile dripped trouble as he ordered a drink, winking to the barmaid after placing his order. The woman looked like she was going to melt right in front of him. From what Bix told Lucy, that was just about right.

While Bix and Cristoff chatted, their arms wrapped around one another, and making their way to the bar where the Master was seated, Emzadi bound over to the table where the rest of the Thunder Legion sat. She wrapped her long, toned arms around Freed's neck, placing a small kiss on the side of it, causing the man to shudder and his whole body to stiffen. After she released him, grinning, she sort of repeated with Laxus.

She swung herself into his lap and pulled him into an open mouth kiss. Lucy's eyebrows shot up as the slayer's arms wrapped around her small waist for a very long moment before he released her and set her on the bench next to him. "Well," she muttered, "That's interesting." Forgetting that she was not alone, Lucy was startled a little when Cana spoke up. "Yeah, no kidding. She's been in Sparky's pants for sure. Lucky bitch." A pink blush tinged the blonde's cheeks. She was more used to casual talk of sex, having grown so close to Bix over the last year, but it still got her occasionally. And she couldn't bring herself to disagree. Her greeting to Freed was intimate and familiar. Her greeting to Laxus was nearly lewd, though Laxus didn't seem to mind.

Lucy returned to her milkshake as she watched Bix and Cristoff out of the corner of her eye. Master spoke to Cristoff, standing on the bar to place his small hands on his broad shoulders. Placing a peck on the older man's cheek, he grinned. 'Gods, he has an amazing smile,' Lucy thought. What was it about him? Something was drawing her in.

Cristoff saw the brunette at the bar that was undressing him with her eyes and smirked slightly. He continued to scan the hall, moving one seat over from the brunette that looked promising for a damn fine time and locked onto her. Something stirred within him. It felt like something rolling around in his chest. He wasn't sure just what it was, but he knew it was a new sensation. And as his eyes moved up her thigh-high boots that were well worn, Cristoff couldn't help but think that there was something important about her. But he didn't have time to analyze it for too long before their gazes locked, and he found himself lost in her chocolate-colored eyes from where he stood. He loved chocolate.

Before he could track what was happening, Cris found himself wrapped in his big brother's arms. He didn't want to stop looking at the blonde, but he broke their sustained gaze and let himself enjoy the hug from his brother, whom he hadn't seen in over two years. A sudden jolt and yelp from Bix caused Cris to open his eyes just in time to catch a very pleased-with-himself looking Vander stroll off. Technically, Van was there for security purposes. His father didn't entirely trust the Fiorian government and not at all the magic council. But really, Van was on as close to a vacation as he was going to get as a Bloodhunter. His only disappointment was that the Steel Council saw it as unnecessary for his partner to join him. Presca would have loved Fiore. "Well, Van hasn't changed," Bix remarked, releasing his brother. "Of course he hasn't," Cristoff laughed out his response. "What would make you think he will ever?"

Bix shrugged a little and wrapped his arm around his brother's shoulders, leaning into him. "Let's get you over to the Master," he started, watching Emzadi accost Laxus. "She didn't waste any time." Cristoff glanced over, feeling the eyes of the blonde on him still. "Didn't think she would. If your hall had private rooms, they'd be in one." He chuckled again. Fiorian prudishness was so confusing to him.

"Ah, Cristoff Pradesh, I take it?" The tiny man was seat cross-legged on the bar. Not at the bar. On it. 'How odd,' he thought, still feeling the burn of chocolate-colored eyes on his skin. He couldn't imagine why he was so aware of her. And what was the sensation that made him want to crawl out of his skin but cuddle? At the guildhall for five minutes and he was sure there was something off about the place. It was going to be a long two months if this was how it was going to go. "Yes. Master Makarov Dreyar?" The older man seated on the bar stood to look him in the eye. "Yes, my child. Please, call me Master or Gramps. I've been looking forward to our new guild management system. That brother of yours sure drives a hard bargain!"

The older man placed his hands on Cristoff's shoulders. "As Bickslow's siblings, I invite you to please treat this place like your home and our guild as your family. Welcome, my child." Cristoff smiled warmly at the Master and placed a peck on his cheek, accepting the invitation.

Stepping away from Cristoff, just a few feet down the bar, Cris jumped a little at the amount of sound that the tiny man was able to make. "Listen up, brats!" The bustling hall silenced in just a few breaths. While Kaleb would never take the same approach, it seemed to work very well for the Master of Fairy Tail. "As announced earlier this week and gossiped about for the week before," he started, shooting a pointed look at Bix, who tried to look as innocent as possible. "Our guild will be hosting Vander, Emzadi, and Cristoff Pradesh to install our new guild management system! They will be here for roughly eight weeks. Behave the best you're capable of and stay out of the damn way!" Reaching for the beer he'd had in hand before speaking with Cristoff, which Bickslow placed back into his hand, he raised that tankard. "To our new guests!"

The rest of the guild followed suit. "Enjoy the day, child. Tomorrow, we get to work!" He said, after taking a large swig of his drink. "Oh, while we're right here." Bix was wrapping his arm around Cristoff's broad shoulders once again and steering him toward the women a little further down the bar. "Bixy, who is this fine slab of man?" the brunette all but purred as they walked up. "This decorated Holy Knight, war hero, and highly respected member of Boscan society is my little brother, Cristoff," he answered, Cana not sure on which end of sassiness she was getting. The look in Bix's crimson eyes said it might be playful, but she still wasn't entirely sure. "Cristoff, this hellcat and pervert is Cana, our resident card mage and heavyweight drinker." Cana beamed at the introduction. It could have been far worse.

Cristoff politely took her hand in hers and leaned in to kiss her cheek, making her sigh and close her eyes. "Should you ever find yourself in White Sea, be sure to ask after Rowan Drayke. You'd love him." Cana looked intrigued and smirked a little at the man in front of her. She made a mental note of the name. Lucy didn't want to hazard a guess about what was running through the smutty mind of her friend. His midnight eyes turned to the blonde woman. The rolling feeling in his chest stirred again, louder this time. "And this lovely and dangerously good at board games woman is Lucy Heartfilia. Seriously, don't ever play Tumbling Dice with her." Lucy grinned at Bix, not allowing herself to look Cristoff in the eye. "It's a pleasure," she started, extending her hand for a shake. "My dear, I'm Boscan," he muttered, leaning in to kiss her cheek, her eye contact avoidance not going unnoticed.

His hand slipped into hers, and he felt a jolt in his chest where the rolling sensation was only a few moments before. His lips brushed Lucy's cheek, feather-light. A barely audible hiss sounded through his mind. "Mine…"

"I've heard nothing but wonderful things." He tried to catch her eye. There was something about her that caused something to stir in him, and he wanted to know what it was. What was that word? He wanted to touch her again, see if that was what caused it, but he didn't want to be too forward. A growl in his mind, or perhaps his soul, stopped his breath in his chest. "Mine…" There it was again. The urge to pull her into his chest surged through his whole body. "Likewise," she answered, still avoiding his eyes. Taking another drink of her milkshake, Lucy rose to her feet. She barely reached his shoulder. He smelled like sandalwood and faintly like something… celestial. Her eyes started to drift closed, letting his smell envelope her. She needed to leave. "I, erm… I'm going to head out. I have, uh, errands." She shuffled uncomfortably close to the broad Boscan in front of her.

Bix couldn't hide his confusion. "Well, don't forget we're meeting at my place before the party tonight!" he called after her as she hurried out of the guildhall. Cristoff turned to his brother and put a hand on his shoulder before walking over to join Emzadi and now Vander at the Thunder Legion's table. Bix looked at the door for a moment longer before moving over to join his family and team.

* * *

In the kitchen, Zen was on his second bowl of mostly melon. "Mr. Elan hands down makes the best food anywhere. He's incredible. And if he finds out what your favorite dish is, you can guarantee it'll turn up if you bother to make an appointment next time." Vander's voice rang down the hall through the open kitchen door. Zen perked up as he felt the magic of the pull tug a little harder at him. Whoever that was, he was going to find out why they felt like that: one way or another.

He resisted the temptation to bolt. Leave the delicious melon where it sat and make a break for it. It was bad enough, being within ten feet of Lucy. But now there was someone else in the house that was tugging just as hard at his magic. But he was determined to find out who they were and why they had that effect on him in the first place. Were they a Celestial magic-user? It didn't feel like it, and Lucy said the same, but then who were they?

From the sound of it, he wasn't going to have to wait much longer as he heard a light, tenor laugh that pierced through him. It was a delightful sound. And Vander wasn't that funny.

Van walked through the door first, looking at his brother with his usual look of mild amusement. On his heels, strode a striking man. Zen's amethyst gaze met mocha-colored eyes, and there it was, what he had been waiting for. The jarring sensation of a steel rod through his chest. And as he held the man's gaze, Zen saw him react to what he assumed was the same sensation before the man's perfect mask of mild interest slid back into place. "Zen! I didn't know you were up!" Zen spotted the lie effortlessly. He tore his gaze away from the almost petite man next to his brother, and his eyes hardened. Vander just grinned in response. "So, this is our pre-breakfast intruder?" Zen asked, trying out humor. Apparently, he wasn't good at it and needed to practice according to Van and Bix.

Vander rolled his eyes and sighed. "Still needs work, brother," he said playfully as Ari grinned, and Vander clapped Zen on the shoulder, sliding into the seat next to him. "Zen, Ari Lucien. Ari, my older brother, Zen," Vander waved a hand, making the quick introduction. Ari extended his hand out to Zen to greet him, and Zen stared at it for an uncomfortable amount of time. Popping over Zen's broad shoulder, Vander grinned at Ari, "Forgive him. He just got home." Vander nudged his brother forward a little.

Zen tentatively took Ari's hand in his, feeling a pulse on his palm as their hands met. Ari felt it too and withdrew his hand like it had been burned, looking down at it. Confusion was written all over his face. "That was odd," he muttered. Zen looked at his own hand. It felt warm where Ari's had been, but the sensation was quickly fading. "Mr. Elan, please, please tell me that everyone hasn't eaten all the muffins," Vander said, seemingly unaware of the interaction between the two men. Zen turned back to his bowl of melon, picking it up as he stood. "Enjoy your breakfast," he muttered, turning to leave the room. An ache in Ari's chest swelled up suddenly, causing him to place a hand there.

When Zen turned the corner out of the kitchen, Vander put down his prized muffin and set a stern gaze on Ari. "Whatever you're thinking? Don't." Ari turned a confused gaze to the Shadowquip. "He has just come home. He's adjusting. And whatever just happened, pretend it didn't." Mocha eyes slid down to the seat Zen left empty and he sat in it. "So it was something," he said softly. "Probably," Vander answered, "But just don't. You have enough to think about. Father will want an answer sooner rather than later."

A sleepy-looking Presca turned the corner and grunted at Vander, the auburn hair mage next to him catching his eye. "The hell is he doing here?" Vander sighed and swallowed another bite of muffin. "It's a long story. Get a cup of coffee."

* * *

_A/N:_

_Nothing new to report. Thanks for everyone following and favoriting! It's been amazing to see people enjoying this story. _

_To folks who reviewed, thank you again! The reviews keep me coming back to this._


	14. Into The Fire

_Still don't own Mashima's Fairy Tail or Desna's Pradeshes. Ari is mine. No longer just renting._

_Reviews are always welcome and make me feel pretty. Enjoy. Note at the end._

* * *

"And then," Vander said, his hands moving wildly as he spoke, "Presca came flying into the room just as he'd put the lipstick on, ready to kill him!" Ari chuckled as he popped another piece of strawberry into his mouth as Presca scowled over the rim of his coffee mug. Vander laughed into his empty plate, imitating a very shocked expression the best he could through his smile. "Can't you wait until I'm caffeinated, you shit?" Presca asked, "Besides, who knew he was into that sort of thing?"

Vander laughed, clutching his sides. With feigned innocence and an evil glint in his eye, he purred, "I might have known." Ari dodged as Presca threw a spoon at Vander's face, keeping himself out of the fray by a hair's breadth. With another sip at his coffee, the dark-haired energy mage scowled lightly, watching the spoon barely miss its mark by half a breath. Just as Van opened his mouth, Emzadi rounded the corner in a flurry of golden waves. Without a word, Presca found himself grabbed by the wrist and dragged out of the kitchen by the imposing woman.

Ari looked both stunned and confused again. "What-?" Vander smirked at him and sighed. "My sister, come to claim what she believes to be hers. If only she could talk him into it. Though I'd like to have my chance first." Ari blinked for a moment. He was overwhelmed by the sheer number of people in the house. He knew that the Ambassador had several children that he adopted and that they were all successful mages, but the last thing he expected was to meet or see most, if not all, of them, especially in the morning. So much for a discreet visit.

"So, what are you thinking?" Vander asked him, stealing a berry from his plate. Ari watched as the man ate and tried to think. It had been such an odd morning. The meeting with Arman Pradesh, the brother that could see souls, the brother that had felt somehow right, Vander himself, and the best damn breakfast he'd probably ever had. Not to mention; finally, freedom was a possibility. He'd never thought the Ambassador would go for it. It wasn't like he had anything to offer in return. But then, Ari knew of the Ambassador's reputation. He was humanitarian, aware of what Bloodhunters were to the Steel Council, and more than anything else, he was a father of children that needed help, so he helped. To find out his generosity even possibly extended to those who came to him, asking for help was a miracle. Ari's mind was, simply put, overwhelmed.

He never considered what life after being a Bloodhunter could be. He never expected to make it out alive. But now, he stared down the barrel of options for the first time, really, ever. "I'm overwhelmed," he answered, sipping on his coffee cup, not looking at the man beside him. Vander hummed his response. "You have nothing but options," he stated, trying to catch his companion's eye. He knew the feeling. All the options were available that you never had before; All the opportunities to do whatever, whenever. It was a powerful yet crippling feeling. "That is the problem," Ari muttered with a sigh. "You joined White Sea, yeah? You and Presca?" Vander nodded as Ari finally turned to look at him.

"Is it very different?"

Van weighed his options. The truthful answer was the least helpful. But he could stretch the truth a bit and set Ari up with the wrong impression. It was a decision that the man was going to have to make on his own. And Ari could be reactive perhaps, but never indecisive. He was five years older, at least than anyone else, and a powerful mage. Ari was a force to be reckoned with when the situation arose. But seeing the man sitting in front of him, wheels turning faster than Van could keep up, he couldn't help but feel for him.

So he chose honesty. "Yes and no." Ari made a face at him that accused him of being unhelpful. "Oh, I know how unhelpful that answer is," he remarked, with a wicked grin to the man's unsaid accusation. "I just don't have a better one." Another soft sigh slid through Ari's lips. "Look," Van stated, placing a hand on the man's narrow shoulder. "I know that it's a lot. Start thinking about what you're good at." Ari barked out a dry laugh. "Where else is killing people a marketable skill?"

Vander couldn't help but laugh himself. He had a very valid point. "Think bigger. There's a little corner of the back deck that's a great spot to get your shit together." He stood and stretched, feeling his shoulder pop. Thank Gods, he thought. "It's a 'quiet place' according to dad, but all of us have used it for other things. Head out the double doors and hook a right. Follow the house around. When you get to the potted plants, you're there." Placing his hand on Ari's shoulder again and giving it a gentle squeeze, Van followed his instincts and brushed a rare chaste kiss across the man's temple. Without another word, Ari was left alone with Mr. Elan. Looking at the man over the edge of his coffee cup, Ari asked, "What do you think?"

Mr. Elan looked up from the melon he was slicing and smiled softly. "That corner of the deck is wonderful." Ari smiled softly at the man and rose, heading for the double doors and turned right.

* * *

Lucy hiccuped softly, watching Pipi land beside her. She placed her hand on the top of the smallest baby and wiped her cheeks. Cristoff would gently tell her to stop sitting around crying, even if it was over him. He would smile, kiss her tears away, and take her hand. One step forward was a step toward another. Her father always said that. Another tear escaped, streaking her face. She needed to focus. The decision made, now she needed to follow through with it. Living never seemed so daunting.

Lucy's chocolate brown eyes slid closed as she took a deep breath. It was ok to miss him, and it was ok to be sad that he was gone, but she couldn't let that paralyze her. She had moves to make and an undetermined amount of time to make them. "Pipi," she smiled at the totem, "Does Bixy know you're here?" Another swipe of her fingertips across her cheeks and Pipi rose off the bed to hover at eye level. "Yes. And he knows that Cosplayer Pipi's friend. He said, 'ok' and I stay." Lucy's smile broadened. "You're my friend too," she said, holding her hand out for the little totem to land. Rising to her feet and squaring her shoulders, she felt a renewed sense of determination. She would live; she would do everything she could to make that happen. And it started with a visit to the Academe Celestine.

Moving to her desk again, Lucy picked up a pen and slid a sheet of paper to herself, sitting and preparing to write a formal request to visit the Academe. Time ticked by as she rewrote the final draft, satisfied that the Dean would have no choice but to consider her request. Pipi rested on the corner of her desk, her presence enough to comfort Lucy. Reading the letter one more time, she smiled at her handy work. She just needed to run it by Arman.

Thinking of Arman made her wonder about his unannounced guest. What came of that, she thought, standing and making her way back toward the kitchen.

Rounding the corner, like everyone else in the house seemed to that morning, Mr. Elan nearly dropped the jumbo muffin tin he was pulling out of the oven. "Gods, Lucy! You startled me. Back for more berries?" the man asked her, a soft smile on his face. "Not right now, but later for sure," she smiled back. "I was looking for dad. Is he still in his, uh, meeting?"

Mr. Elan shook his head. "Out for a run with the boys, I'm afraid. Though they should be back in the next twenty minutes or so." The dejected blonde looked at him with disappointment in her noticeably red and puffy eyes. She'd been crying again. "Shall I fill a coffee cup for you to take with you to the back deck where you are sure to find him before anyone else can?" Lucy smiled slyly at the man. He was clever and knew just how everything in the house worked. "That would be perfect." Her eyes were still lacking their normal light, but for the first time since she came home without Cristoff, he saw Lucy look a little more like Lucy.

Lucy smiled at Mr. Elan and took her fresh cup of coffee through the double doors. She paused outside, letting the clean, refreshing scent of the Grass Sea fill her senses. Her eyes slid closed, and she hummed in contentment.

* * *

Lucy caught Arman at the door, her formal request to visit the Academe in hand, causing her father-in-law to grin at her. He was thrilled to see a small spark, the woman she was a month before starting to return. Not to say that he didn't grieve for the loss of his son, but Arman knew that life was fleeting and that love could live on. He would always feel the loss, another empty plate at every meal, but he also knew that so much more life waited for them. He took her request and smiled warmly at his daughter, proud of her resilience and renewed lease on life.

Watching her enter back into the house, trailing closely after her, he looked at Mr. Elan, who nodded again out toward the little corner of the back deck Arman had set up as a quiet place in a house that rarely saw silence for years. He walked down the deck and found the man he was seeking out.

"I built this place for moments of peaceful quiet," he said, taking a seat on one of the comfortable chairs. "As you can guess, quiet was difficult to come by when I had a full house." Ari looked up at the man and nodded, smiling faintly. "I can only imagine…" he trailed off.

Arman looked over the smaller man, curled up in one of the chairs, seemingly still questioning what he would do if he weren't a Bloodhunter more thought. "Have you come to a decision?" he asked the other, sipping the coffee Mr. Elan passed to him before he walked out. Ari nodded. "I have," he started. "I'll join White Sea."

Arman nodded and hummed into his mug, "I expected as much, and I'll speak with Kaleb." He eyed Ari thoughtfully for a moment. "We have some family business that will need handling. Perhaps you'd be interested in taking the job when you join…" With another sip of coffee, Arman took in the man's reaction. He seemed stunned, his mocha eyes wide, and his lips parted slightly. Arman chuckled.

Arman stood and stretched his back lightly, "I'll introduce you to both of them and start the paperwork, though, I won't file it until the end of the week. We are still in our family mourning period." He eyed him again as he stood. "Yes. I think that's exactly what we'll do," he said lightly, watching a faint tinge of a pink flush over Ari's cheeks. "Sir," he started softly, "Thank you." At the sincerity in his voice, Arman smiled and placed a hand on the smaller man's shoulder. "You're welcome," he answered as they made their way back into the house.

Through their family link, Arman informed Kaleb of the plan he was going to set into motion.

* * *

Four days later, Lucy carried a light pink duffle bag over her shoulder as another bag swung in her hand. Her request for a visit to the Academe Celestine was received and approved by the Dean, quite warmly, according to Arman. So she was ready, her resolve hardened more than before. Lucy spent the last several days in almost constant contact with Freed. He was settled into the Fiorian Archives within a day and hadn't left since then. He was engrossed in his task, gaining access he needed to execute the research that Lucy needed. And he was making slow, arduous progress.

Then, she knew she was impatient. As far as any of them knew, this was not something that they were going to be able to solve at all, let alone in four days. But she also knew that the most daunting part of deciding to live was not knowing how long she had. Bix decided that he would stay with her, keeping an eye on her soul and repairing what he could when he could.

She couldn't be more grateful to the man if she tried. When push came to shove, or even when it didn't, Bickslow was her best friend before he was her brother-in-law, and there wasn't anyone she would want with her more. The unfortunate part was that he wouldn't be allowed onto the grounds of the Academe itself. They booked rooms in Cellis, and while she was invited and would typically stay at the Academe, with Bickslow with her, she made other arrangements.

Lucy stood on her tiptoes to kiss Arman's cheek as he scooped the blonde up for a hug. "Take care of yourself, Lucy, and don't forget to come back home," he said softly. "Alright, dad, you're going to make me cry," Bickslow interjected, wrapping his long arms around them. Lucy chuckled softly, wiping a tear that barely formed in her eye away and wiggled free of both men. Arman hugged his son, and the men kissed each other's cheeks. Bix straightened the bag on his shoulder, grabbing the one out of Lucy's hand too, "We'll be back in a week, dad."

Lucy smiled softly and shifted the bag on her shoulder, catching Kaleb's look as he walked by, for the first time in weeks in guild clothing. She waved over her shoulder as they left.

* * *

The trip to Cellis was short and generally uneventful, except a call from Freed. Lucy picked up her com and smiled at the green-haired mage on the other end. "Hey, Freed," Lucy greeted him. Bix moved over, putting himself in Lucy's space as he leaned into the call as well. Never one to mince words, especially when it came to research, Freed dove right in, "I am getting access to the banned books collection," he smiled. Lucy's eyes lit up, and Bix grinned. "Your connection came through," she said excitedly. Freed nodded and ignored Bickslow's knowing look and smirk. "They did. I'll start going through it first thing tomorrow. And with the plan to look into Seith journals… I think that we can count on finding something. Just need to start cross-referencing."

Bickslow's eyebrows shot up, and he nearly gave himself whiplash looking at Lucy. "Seith journals?" he asked her. Lucy nodded at him and turned her attention back to Freed, "Thanks, Freed. Keep me posted?" Freed agreed and disconnected the call.

Lucy turned her attention back to Bix, who was eyeing her. She leaned back on the couch they shared and started to explain, "We only know what is happening because you can see my soul. If you couldn't see the damage and make the repairs you have been, who knows how long I would have had." Bickslow nodded, "Ok… That's tracking."

"Well, what if you aren't the first Seith to see the soul of a mate? If we can find something, anything about another, maybe we can see if they had any other observations about what they saw or even tried. It might put us on the right track," she finished. Bickslow thought for a moment. It was a solid plan, and with Freed on it, he knew if there were something to find, it wouldn't stay hidden. He hummed, "It could work. But if Freed's working that angle, which is solid, what are you hoping to find at the Academe?" he asked, resting back against the armrest.

Lucy smiled, the look sly and calculating, "A loophole. And who better to find loopholes than Celestials?" Bix couldn't contain himself; He burst out laughing, his tongue lolling. "No one. No one at all," he answered, clutching one of his sides. He calmed, and they both settled into a comfortable silence, sitting there for a long while. "Hey, Bix," Lucy said softly.

Bickslow turned his crimson gaze on her. "Thanks for coming with me…" she answered his look. "Lucy, until this is over, you're not going far without me," he answered, the serious look on his face surprising to Lucy, though she wasn't sure why. She knew the loveable goofball was only a part of him. "Look away, Cosplayer," he said gently. She did as he asked and looked down at her hands as a faint green glow emitted from his eyes. "What's the damage?" she asked.

He leaned forward, surveying the leak, and humming softly. "Hold still. Edges need work," he muttered, setting about threading pieces he could back together.

* * *

_A/N:_

_I am here and this story has been fighting me sooooooo hard. So hard. _

_But here is a new chapter, finally. _


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